


Glitched: The Files

by hikari100



Series: Bringer of Balance [2]
Category: Five Nights at Freddy's, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abduction, Accidental Stimulation, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Anal, Aphrodisiacs, Bad Boys, Bathing/Washing, Beauty - Freeform, Begging, Biting, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Body Modification, Bondage, Brainwashing, Branding, Character Death, Childish Characters, Claiming, Clothes Fetish, Cock Bondage, Collars, Come Swallowing, Conditioning, Cornelius Fudge Bashing, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, D/s, Dating, Disability, Dolores Umbridge is Her Own Warning, Double Penetration, Drugs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Endearments, F/M, First Time, Flirting, Frottage, Gentleness, Ginny Weasley Bashing, Hermione Granger Bashing, Hurt/Comfort, Hypnosis, Illegal Activities, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Insanity, Jewelry, Language, Latex, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Marriage Contracts, Master/Pet, Master/Slave, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mind Control, Molly Weasley Bashing, Multi, Order of the Phoenix Bashing (Harry Potter), Original Character(s), Pampering, Possession, Restraints, Rimming, Ron Weasley Bashing, School Themes, Seduction, Sex Toys, Sex Toys Under Clothing, Sexual Slavery, Submission, Tattoos, Teasing, The Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter) is Terrible, Threesome - M/M/M, Touching, Wet Dream, Yaoi, coming, courting, falling, fantasies, food allergies, magical themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:28:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 63,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28409274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hikari100/pseuds/hikari100
Summary: What had happened before? Or should that be more along the lines of whatcouldhave happened. Look inside if you wish to see the truth.
Relationships: Bonnie/Freddy Fazbear, Fredbear/Spring Bonnie (Five Nights at Freddy's), Funtime Freddy/Harry Potter/Funtime Foxy, OC/OC, William Afton | Dave Miller/Henry Emily
Series: Bringer of Balance [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995505
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> Opening Song: "Disconnected" by TryHardNinja and Not a Robot
> 
> Google translations were used here; i.e. Irish and Scottish Gaelic~

Screams.  
That was the first thing that greeted them.

The piercing cries of those that could not be seen, rose into a feverish pitch; ringing painfully in their sensitive ears. They could not see a thing, for their vision was shrouded in shadows, their ears echoing with the anguished wails of the dying; and that abominable odor. They wrinkled their nose as the scent of overcooked meat flooded their noses. 

Hold on -  
Why couldn't they move...?

Squirming in place, they found that they could barely lift a hand; not only were the nerves twitching sporadically - but the muscles were weakened considerably. However, they realized that they were not alone, as they could feel sharp teeth piercing the scruff of their neck. There was something else that they noticed; whoever held a firm grip on them was running.

The air howled with rage as the oily plume of smoke burned at their senses, the temperatures steadily rising as the unusual pair were running; branches snapping at them as they ran by. They could feel the heart of the one who was carrying them, for it was pounding heavily as the owner ran for their very life; whispering soothing words to them, the musical notes odd but comforting, nonetheless.

What was - ?

...owwwww!

As they were taken further and further away, the cries from before were becoming more and more faint, but the feeling of wrongness did not leave. It felt, much to their unease, that they were being watched by someone unsavory. A feeling of hunger tugged at their conscious thoughts, sending a chill down their spine. But, that was suddenly gone as an intense heat washed over them, followed by a sharp whistle and the pained cry of whoever was carrying them.

_...Tá eagla orm..._

.-.-.-.

It had been a lovely day today, a rare thing to see so late in the cold season; nonetheless, it had been a pleasant one. The skies had been a soft blue and devoid of any clouds, the temperatures rather warm, and a breeze so gentle to the touch; truly a rare sight. In fact, one such couple had chosen to spend this day out and about.

Solas Milis and Cosantóir Claíomh of the Amberstone clan were amongst the youngest of their clan; but that didn't mean that you should underestimate them. Solas, a beautiful young woman with hair spun from the darkest of golds and eyes as green as nature foretold, had been gifted with magic. She would always listen to the Mother, knowing that she would never be steered wrong, and then, there was the day when she first laid eyes on one Cosantóir Claíomh.

Cosantóir Claíomh was a handsome young man, unable to wield magic himself, he became one of the youngest protectors that the village had ever seen. With hair as dark as night and eyes that were dark as the evening skies, his thin frame gave way to nothing of his true self. To be honest, he looked nothing like a protector, but that of the opposite. Then, came the day when he met Solas Milis, a day that he would treasure for the rest of his life.

It was true love at first sight.

Gradually they met and learned about one another; finding that they had a good deal in common. They both enjoyed being around their loved ones, and yet, they preferred the peacefulness of the woods over the rowdy clans, especially during the times when they wanted to be alone. Eventually, they became husband and wife, only to discover a horrific secret of Solas', one that even she was unaware of. For you see, Solas was unable to conceive a child; disappointing the clan greatly for what they saw as a sin.

Until this very night, that is.  
A night neither of them would ever forget.

(...)

Cosantóir was quiet as they walked the familiar path within the woods; lost in his own, darkening thoughts. He could still recall the healer's ominous words as he and his wife tried for a child for the third time; having gone to the healer's after Solas failed to conceive. 

Unfortunately, after hours of experimentations and healing herbs, it was with grim news, that the healer told them that Solas' organs had been born, damaged, to say the least. She would be unable to conceive, and if it ever did happen, the chances of survival were extremely limited; not only for Solas, but for the baby as well. This devastated her greatly as Solas adored children, but surely the Mother had plans for them, did she not for every child...?

Solas was silent, as she dutifully followed her husband; green eyes dim as she frowned slightly. It had taken every ounce of control that she had, to not break down from the grim news. That had been a day that would haunt her nightmares for years to come, she loved children and to be denied the chance to have her own...? Well, it wasn't something that one could get over.

...oh?

Of the two, Solas' senses were just a bit stronger as some... _thing_ began to tug at her thoughts. Her brow furrowed slightly as the barest of frowns graced her lips. The tugging was accompanied by the faint sensations of genuine fear and exhausting pain. Whoever was calling to her, was in a great deal of pain...and they were close, _very_ close. Cosantóir, on the other hand, was concerned when he saw how quiet she had gone, her green eyes darkening; darting about wearily.

What was ailing her?

_Cabhrú..._

(...)

C-Cold...

They shivered, feeling an icy chill wrapping around them as a much larger body instinctively curled around them; as if to shield them from the world. The owner groaned softly, body quivering as a sticky fluid began to seep into their frame. The screams would forever haunt them, the sour smells tainting their senses would leave its mark; a mark that wouldn't be seen for many years.

 _"Tá sé ceart go leor,"_ A voice whispered from above. _"Táimid slán anois,"_ The owner continued with a soft murmur, bringing the tiny, frightened form closer; as if to reassure them. A tiny cheep left them, as they clutched tightly at what felt like fur, tears prickling at their cloudy eyes, sniffling softly. _"Táimid sábháilte..."_

No...  
It would never be alright.

_CRACK_

The soft crack of a fallen branch snapping, caught the elder's attention; whose head snapped up. They let out a protesting squeak as those strong arms tightened their hold, causing them to squirm in place. 'Twas a shame they couldn’t see, who was it that was approaching them.

Friend...or foe?

(...)

_Ó, a Mháthair bhinn!_

Curious about his wife's growing agitation, Cosantóir willingly followed her as she absentmindedly stepped off the known path; heading for the darkest and wildest parts of the woods. There were always days where he would regret for not having a chance with magic, like now, for instance. Solas was growing pale, her green eyes slightly glazed and her breathing was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment.

Someone or some _thing_ was calling for his wife.

His muscles tensed ever so slightly, one hand going to his hidden dagger as his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The trees around them were becoming taller, some thicker and others more gangly, as the foliage seemed to darken before his very eyes. This, this was the heart of the woods, the part where everyone was warned to stay away from. The heart of the woods was always more wilder, where magic ran rampant; and you never know what laid within these woods, after all.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Solas had come to a complete halt, her small hands reaching up to her mouth as if to still the horrified gasp that so desperately wanted out. And when he peered around her, his dark eyes widening in shock at the scene that laid before them. A scene that should not even be remotely possible, but it was.

Partially curled up, and watching them with icy green eyes, was a humanoid rabbit. The rabbit appeared to be about six feet in height, but with a slender, feminine frame; indicating that they were a female. They -- more like _she_ \-- had lightly colored fur that was, unfortunately, quite matted and dirt clung to her shivering frame. Her muzzle, while small, was still longer than her mortal brethren. Her right ear was bent at the center, flopping half haphazardly over her face, her icy eyes were somewhat glazed, but still sharply aware of her surroundings.

...oh?

Cosantóir's attention was drawn to what the rabbit was holding; a squirming little mass that she was being rather protective of. _"Dè ann an ainm Màthair a thachair?"_ Solas demanded, though her voice shook. Her heart ached terribly, and she could feel the tears prickling at her eyes as the rabbit seemed to cringe, pulling back; but not before her package gave a pained cry.

What in heaven's name?

As if realizing something, Solas held up her hands, as if to reassure the rabbit. _"Tá sé ceart go leor,"_ Her voice was soft and gentle. _"Ní ghortóidh m’fhear agus mise thú,"_ Solas continued with a soft murmur. _"Le do thoil, lig dúinn cabhrú leat,"_ She pleaded softly. Before the she-rabbit could react, she let out a pained groan, nearly collapsing in on herself; and no wonder.

The sun had long since set, making it that much harder to see a decent path. Thankfully, the moon had steadily been rising to the darkening skies, the temperatures dropping to a more pleasant feel; soft moonlight illuminating the area. Oh dear, both grimaced at the sight of the dark fluid that was beginning to pool under the she-rabbit; becoming darker as the pool slowly grew.

Letting out a tired sigh, the she-rabbit managed to lean back against a tree, still holding tenderly onto her package, her breathing beginning to slow. And there, curled up in her arms, much to their shock, was a tiny kit; mewling softly, their ears twitching as they sniffled quietly. The she-rabbit looked up to the skies, seeing the full moon as she seemed to smile tiredly, caressing her baby's cheek with a thin finger. It was as if she was saying good-bye to them, before looking up to meet the teary eyes of one Solas Milis.

 _"Cosain mo pháiste,"_ She spoke with a soft, sweet voice; her exhaustion clear, but revealing, nonetheless. _"Óir is iadsan an duine deireanach dár gclann,"_ She murmured, before giving another pained groan as her heart fluttered weakly; the kit's paws gripping her fur tightly. _"Bí cróga, mo sholas beag,"_ She whispered, gently brushing the fur from the kit’s face, taking them in one last time as the mortal woman knelt down by her side.

 _"Ná lig don té dorcha iad a aimsiú,"_ She pleaded as Solas blinked owlishly, startled when the she-rabbit gently placed the crying kit into her arms. _"Biodh fios agad gu bheil mama an-còmhnaidh a ’coimhead,"_ She breathed softly, feeling the gentle tug of death calling to her. _"Bi math, mo sholas beag..."_ The she-rabbit gave one last, sad smile as she looked to her crying kit and closed her eyes as she breathed her last.

She was gone.

Cosantóir swallowed thickly, feeling his heart break as he looked to the crying kit, that his wife held so tenderly; looking down at the tiny being with gentleness, her eyes shining with love. The kit was truly tiny, perhaps the size of a young babe, their fur a soft golden color. It was clear that their ears were open, but their sight was not as they looked up with teary, yet cloudy eyes.

What...what were they to do?

 _"Táimid ag coinneáil an linbh seo,"_ Solas whispered, brushing a soft strand of fur from the kit's face. Hm, if you looked past the cloudy look, you could see that the kit's eyes would reflect the Great Mother herself. It was then at that precise moment, that Solas Milis had the perfect name for the kit; her child that she would always protect.

 _"Anam,"_ Solas said with a soft smile.

_"Anam Órga de Amberstone."_


	2. A Faithful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An act of fate lays between two lonely children.

Seven years.

That's how long it had been since that faithful encounter in the woods. Seven years since the tiny child came into the care of Solas Milis and Cosantóir Claíomh; a day that was kept hush, especially amongst the Amberstone Clan. The clan itself had been ecstatic with the arrival of a child, though, it was confusing by the revelation that the child wasn't human; even though they aged like one.

If anyone knew the truth, that the sweet child was that of the long thought to be mythical Fae; then perhaps, things would have been different for Skydale. Alas, that was not meant to be. Life settled for the Amberstone Clan, that is, until the day of another unusual arrival.

Croí Láidir.

.-.-.-.

It was a beautiful, warm day as Spring rolled around.

The last remnants of Winter was slowly, but surely dispersing as the beginnings of the warm seasons were rolling on through. Cloudy skies were giving way to clear, soft blue ones with barely a cloud to be seen. Temperatures, which were sharp and biting to the flesh, were slowly warming up; giving a more pleasant feeling as flowers blossomed.

Anam Órga of the Amberstone Clan, was excited for this day. Finally, after years of waiting, they were at long last, old enough to help their mother, Solas Milis, with her weekly herbal run. This was going to be a good day, they could see it. And yet, what Anam didn't realize, was just how important this day would really be. 

(...)

Solas was humming softly as she gathered herself that faithful morning. She straightened up, gently unfolding the curls of her gown. Solas' golden locks was tied back and tucked neatly under her white bonnet; her green eyes dim as she thought back to that night so long ago.

Seven years -- by the gods, had it really been that long since her little miracle came into her life? -- since the lives of Solas and Cosantóir, and, surely, it had been a journey for the two of them. Knowing that they were facing things blind, Cosantóir did his best to find out what he could about that night; as neither of them had seen a being like the she-rabbit before.

However, there was a bit of a problem. None of the village's historians could help them as the idea of a humanoid rabbit was considered an act of blasphemy. Cosantóir was forced to stop when he inadvertently caught the attention of the village council; something that could be seen as an act of goodwill, or terrible misfortune for those who caught their attention. And in the case of the young couple, this would be the latter. 

When he realized the growing danger, Cosantóir knew that the council could never learn of Anam's presence. Well, he shouldn't say that. Perhaps, once Anam was strong enough to survive on their own, things would be a bit different for them? And so, Cosantóir took a step back and helped from the shadows as Anam slowly grew; surprisingly enough, they were aging much like a human child.

Solas positively adored the tiny child.

Anam was much like the she-rabbit; perhaps that had been their mother? Their fur was of a soft golden color, their chest fur and that which lined their ears, were more of a creamier shade and Anam's eyes shone a pleasant mixture of emerald green and sea blue; the shade would depend on what Anam was feeling at the time. They were about the height of any child of seven seasons, but their legs were defined by their blood and with very human-like hands.

Anam was a sweet child with a gentle soul and bright as a button. But oh, how they longed to see the world outside the, otherwise comfortable, home. It appeared that Anam was developing an adventurous spirit, a noted fact that was leaving both parents highly uneasy. Hopefully, Solas frowned ever so slightly as her brows furrowed just a bit. She and her husband could nip this before, say, the council, find them out?

Solas's frown deepened.

The council...oh boy, now there was an interesting tale in itself.

The village council was composed of the village's founding families, and not the more pleasant clan members, either. The Aguegre, Amberstone, Bricharac, Earthshadow, Guirdieu, Pridedane and Ronchesseau clans all had at least _one_ family member who was a part of the council. The guardsmen were normally composed of Bricharac, Guirdieu and Ronchessau; and usually they were the more blood thirsty ones.

She shivered.

If anyone, and this was _anyone_ , ever learned about little Anam, she feared for the poor thing's future. A future that would most likely be shrouded in darkness. That was a fate she wouldn't wish on anyone, no matter who they were to her. All Solas wanted to do was protect her little family, but alas, one cannot change their fate.

...or can they?

.-.-.-.

Anam nervously adjusted their cloak, shifting from one place to another as they waited for their mother to come. This was really happening, wasn't it? Their first time outside their home, a most likely once in a lifetime chance. Despite their young age, Anam wasn't stupid. They knew that they were different from the villagers, how could they not? 

_"Anam?"_

Their ears perked up, and found themselves relaxing as they turned to smile at their mother. _"Dia duit a mhamá,"_ Their voice was soft, with a sweet tone. Solas smiled softly at the little rabbit, pleased to see that they had their cloak with them. Hopefully, they could reach the clearing without too much trouble.

...oh dear.

Did she just jinx them?

.-.-.-.

A furry ear flickered, as the owner lifted their head; warm amber eyes glittering much like gems. They paused, but only for a moment. They gave a delicate sniff, before giving a pleasing purr. There was a change about the air, something interesting was coming this way and they wanted to see how it unfolded. Chuffing softly, they shifted and started for the woods, this was sure to be interesting.

Such is the way of fate...

.-.-.-.

Alright now.

Anam listened carefully to their mother, as she listed off the herbs that she needed; basket in hand. There were quite a few herbs that were needed, but they had to be careful as their mother warned them that some could be quite poisonous. Poisonous, yet helpful, at the same time; the way of life was a fascinating subject, was it not?

...oh?

Lifting their head, Anam's ears twitched ever so slightly, before their greenish blue eyes zeroed in on something that they hadn't expected to find in the deep woods that surrounded Skydale; a river, of all things. For it had been the soft hiss of rushing waters, that had caught the little rabbit's attention. That was right, Anam realized as they unconsciously straightened in place, mindful of their whereabouts. 

Some of the necessary herbs were growing on the _other_ side of the river. Normally, it would take their mama a good long time to get around the river, just to reach said herbs. However, that was not the case for Anam. Oh no, with their longer legs and leaner muscles, the little rabbit could easily jump across the river. 

How odd...

Anam tilted their head curiously, their eyes bright. There was a gentle presence nudging at their thoughts, as if beckoning them. Looking up as she tucked some wormwood away, Solas saw the longing in Anam's eyes, as the little rabbit could not look away from the sight of the river. Sighing, she gave a slight smile as she spoke. _"Bí cúramach anois, Anam,"_ Solas called as they turned around with an inquiring look.

It took them only a moment to realize what their mother had said, and the biggest smile graced their muzzle. _"Beidh mé ar ais gan mhoill,"_ They promised as they turned back to the river, and with what happened next, shouldn't have been so surprising, but it was for Solas.

Anam took a few steps back, breathing softly as their muscles instinctively tensed in preparation. When they were at a good distance, Anam then started running, picking up speed rather fast for their small frame and moments before their paws could meet the cold, harsh waters of the river; Anam jumped. Their small frame easily lifted itself into the air, soaring through as they easily jumped the spacious river bend; landing with surprising grace on the other side.

Solas was amazed by how the sudden strength and speed, the little one had just displayed as they made for an impressive jump. Now, on the other side of the river, Anam straightened as their cloak settled around them. Pleased, they gripped their little basket tighter as they turned their head and waved back. Solas was left staring in disbelief as Anam then turned and darted deeper into the woods.

Why was she getting a strange feeling about this...?

(...)

Furry ears perked up as the owner lifted their head; sniffing delicately. A soft rumble escaped as they picked up on a sweet scent of fresh rain and sweet fruit greeted them. This was good, they could sense the one that they had been waiting for was near, _very_ near.

How...perfect.

.-.-.-.

**_If I were a bunch of herbs..._**  
**_...where would I hide?_**

Leaving the river behind, and ears prickling, Anam was on alert as their greenish-blue eyes scanned the land around them with a careful gaze. Now that they were looking more closely, they found the land quite enchanting; enticing them further. The trees were growing taller and thicker, the further they went on; nature seemingly blossoming around them.

The plants that their mother needed was what she called _hollow leek_ and _helenium_ ; both were a type of flower that was used in her assortment of ointments and powders. The _hollow leek_ resembled an inverted purplish bell-like flower, while the _helenium_ was a small flower with a bulbous pod and deep red petals that appeared to be tinted with a bright yellow pollen like substance, unusual to say the least.

...eh?

Anam stopped, tightening their hold over the basket, their ears straightening as their muscles tensed ever so slightly. It was odd, for them to admit this, but it felt like they were being watched by someone; or should that be more along the lines of some _thing_? Their fur was bristling as unease trickled down their spine, their eyes narrowing as pupils slitted just enough.

Perhaps they were imagining things...?

Unknown to Anam, golden eyes glittered as the owner focused on the golden rabbit; having never seen someone like them before. The owner lowered themselves further to the ground, muscles tensing as if bracing for something; a low rumble whispering in their thoughts as they got themselves ready. And soon, a shadow jumped out...

Oof!

Anam grunted as something heavy suddenly slammed into their back; forcing the two to go through a tumble of a roll. Thankfully, they moved further into the woods and away from any potential harm, with Anam landing on their back; right in the middle of what would be a familiar clearing. 

_"Is duine corr tú."_

...what?

Hearing the soft, husky voice from above, Anam froze. The voice was not one that they recognized, but then again, it wasn't like they knew anyone else. Feeling the soft pressure of paws on their chest, Anam kept their eyes closed, and breathed softly for a bit; but then, their eyes slowly opened and they found themselves staring up at the face of someone who wasn't a human, but something else; something that felt eerily familiar.

Blue green eyes met warm amber.

The owner seemed to smile as they calmly got off the shocked rabbit, shifting into a more bipedal form like Anam. They, the stranger that is, looked more like a young cub that was a cross between canine and feline (if that was even possible), roughly the same height as Anam themself. Their fur was a soft green, which reminded Anam of the land around them; the beginnings of what looked like a mane, somewhat stubby ears and a thin feline tail.

_"Cad atá á dhéanamh agat sa chuid seo den choill?"_ They asked curiously, tilting their head as Anam was left blinking owlishly, still shocked by the sight of someone who was similar to themselves; and no one could blame the rabbit for their actions. It took Anam a moment or two to realize what was being said, closing their mouth after realizing just how rude they had been.

_"Tá brón orm,"_ Anam said with a weak laugh, rubbing the back of their neck in a sheepish manner. _"Bhí mé ag lorg leek log do mo mháthair."_ The cub hummed softly as they listened. _"A bheil do mhàthair na neach-slànachaidh?"_ They questioned, earning a slow blink in return before Anam nodded slowly. The cub brightened up as they eagerly grabbed Anam's right hand.

_"Thig còmhla rium an uairsin,"_ They said cheerfully. _"Tá a fhios agam cá bhfuil braisle iomlán ag fás,"_ Anam squeaked as he was tugged along, the cub was surprisingly strong for their size. Strange as it was, but it felt natural; but then a slight smile graced their lips.

This was interesting.

(...)

Oh wow.

Anam was looking around with wide eyes, amazed as the land around them seemingly changed before their eyes. The trees were looking thinner as the branches stretched lazily towards the skies, the leaves holding a soft shimmer as even the temperatures were becoming more and more pleasant. And the air, it even smelt sweeter to them.

_"Seo dhuit,"_ The cub announced as they came to a sudden halt. Anam peered over the cub and was surprised to see a rather large gathering of colorful flowers. Flowers, they realized, that resembled an inverted bell-like plant; in a shimmering mixture of gentle purple and soft cream. _"Táim cinnte go bhfuil níos mó ná go leor ann do Skydale,"_ The cub continued, catching Anam's attention.

_"Skydale?"_ Anam questioned. _"Tha fios agad mu dheidhinn?"_ The cub chuffed softly as they turned to the rabbit with bemusement. _"Ar ndóigh déanaim,"_ They chirped. _"tá mé Croí Ládir de na Earthshadow clan."_ Anam was taken back by this, someone who was from Skydale that they hadn't known about? The cub tilted their head curiously.

_"Cé tusa, mar sin?"_

Croí was quiet as he looked upon the rabbit with a thoughtful gaze. Somehow, though he had never seen someone like this rabbit before, there was an air of familiarity about them; as if they had met before. Croí may have been young, but he wasn't stupid. He knew for a fact that he had been adopted by the Earthshadow clan, don't get him wrong, he loved his family, truly he did, but there was an emptiness that was beginning to curl in his thoughts.

Until now, that is.

The rabbit blinked owlishly, before their eyes brightened as their expression seemed to soften. It was adorable really, seeing the golden fur darkening as they scratched a cheek in shyness. _"Anam,"_ Their voice was soft and sweet as they smiled. _"Anam Órga de na Amberstone Clan."_ Croí tested that name out and found that he liked it, quite a bit actually.

_"An bhfeicfidh mé arís thú?"_ Croí asked softly as Anam knelt down to the cluster and carefully began to pluck the amount that their mother requested. The rabbit hummed softly, their eyes dimming a bit as they focused on their task. However, Croí didn't see the twinkle to those mischievous eyes as the owner grinned.

_"Tá súil agam mar sin."_


	3. Possessive Natures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What exactly happened after Anam was possessed by the Darkling?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blood, gore and death follows. You have been warned.

How could this have happened?

Croí was still in a bit of a daze, reeling from everything that had happened this evening. This was supposed to be a special night for them. However, instead of the magical night that had been planned, it was becoming a night of truly devious nightmares. And to think, it had started out such a lovely day, too. 

Today had been a rare day, to say the least. The skies had been forever blue without a cloud to be seen, the temperatures were pleasantly warm and a gentle breeze was brought about; bringing the sweet scent of fresh flowers. A rare day, and yet, the villagers were treating it as if there was nothing different. Although, the council had been quiet for some time, perhaps a bit too quiet? And there was something off about the guards, with how close they were watching everyone.

To be honest, it was unsettling.

As the moon rose up on this very evening, Croí had been waiting for Anam's arrival in the clearing from where they had first met as children. Hours would pass by, leaving Croí very, _very_ nervous when Anam didn't show up when they were supposed to. It wasn't until the soft croak of Anam's voice coming from the shadows of the trees, that Croí finally looked up and as the moonlight washed over the clearing, Croí saw what had happened to the seemingly frail rabbit.

Corruption.

Somehow, the barriers that had been constructed by their ancestors; barriers that were designed to keep the Darkness out, had been lowered with no one being the wiser. And Anam, oh sweet Mother, the poor rabbit was slowly but surely, being corrupted before their horrified eyes. 

Anam had never been all that tall, ears not withstanding. In fact, Croí had always been a bit taller, not anymore. Instead, Anam now towered over Croí greatly. Their shoulders were more broader, but with a leaner and more muscular frame; their limbs longer and leaner. The once healthy golden fur had turned a dark greenish-brown, becoming thicker and shaggier. Their muzzle had stretched a bit, twisting the edges into a ghastly smile; thus revealing rows of needle sharp teeth. Each nail extending into a long purplish-black claw-like nail.

Greenish-blue eyes burned a fierce, unnatural shade of purple.

_"Gut, gut,"_ There came a low, rough voice that mused darkly.  
_"Was haben wir hier?"_

Croí froze, instinctively wrapping their arms around a sleepy Anam, golden eyes narrowing. Heart sinking as a chill went down their spine, Croí could only watch with growing fear as three beings were watching from the shadows. And unfortunately, for the pair, that is, this confrontation wasn't going to end well; for them, anyway.

The first was a mortal man in his prime. He was a tall male with broad shoulders and a somewhat homely face with fair skin, and impossibly dark eyes. Eyes, that Croí noted with unease, that gazed at the pair with such emptiness, that it was a bit unsettling. Despite his kind and gentle appearance, there was no doubt about _which_ clan this man was from; the Briacharac.

The second man, he too, was of mortal blood, but just a bit older than the Briacharac. He was a bit small for his age, but there was an ethereal air about him. His wild, inky black curls framed a pale, somewhat delicate face and cold brown eyes stared down at them with impassiveness. The wild curls and slender, feminine frame gave way that this man was a member of the Pridedane.

The last male, well, he was not of mortal blood, but that of a deadly serpent hybrid. It was an odd sight for Croí, to say the least. As neither of them had seen someone like this before, and certainly not around Skydale, either. The male was handsome, nonetheless; with a sharp, chiseled face and broad shoulders with soft creamy tanned skin, and poisonous yellow eyes; eyes that bore a reptilian slit, that glared at them. His lower half was that of a beautiful serpent's tail, the scales a shimmering mixture of blue, dark green and inky black.

_"Qui ius esset,"_ The Pridedane muttered. His voice was low, yet there was a sweetness to his words. _"Und warum bist du so überrascht, mein Freund?"_ The Briacharac asked curiously, tilting his head though his tone was a bit dry as the Pridedane flushed. _"Non sum,"_ He snipped back, huffing as he looked away, as if annoyed. Hold on a moment -- was he...was he actually _sulking_?

_"Cád atá tú ag déanamh anseo?"_ Croí's voice was sharp as they spoke, a low rumble of a growl as their fur bristled. Despite their grave situation, Croí wasn't about to let any harm come to Anam; who had yet to regain their bearings. Come to think of it, how in the realms did these three even find them?

Croí had made sure that they were alone as their clan settled down for the night, having long since memorized the layout and paths that the guards took. They had known that Anam had done something similar. It also helped them that the path to this clearing was a bit more difficult for a mortal to handle. Hm, that would explain why the serpent hybrid was with these two.

But...why?

_"Stellen Sie sich unsere Überraschung vor,"_ The Briacharac mused thoughtfully as he tilted his head, eyes devoid of light as he stared them down. _"Als ein Dorfbewohner auf uns zukam,"_ He continued with a soft murmur, his ominous words casting a foreboding shadow upon the two. _"Es war etwas in der Art von..."_ He stopped, before looking to the Pridedane with seemingly genuine confusion.

_"Was war es nochmal?"_ He asked curiously.

Croí was tense, golden eyes flashing as their ears flattened. Something about the Briacharac was leaving them _very_ uneasy. Perhaps it had something to do with the emptiness in that gaze? Or could it be the faint sense of malice in that slight smile? Croí's muzzle pulled back, revealing surprisingly needle sharp teeth as their chest rumbled dangerously, the Pridedane giving Anam a look that was sending their instincts into overdrive; big time.

A look of hunger...

_"A vetiti testimoni,"_ The Pridedane said flatly, hollow eyes glittering like gems. The Briacharac snorted softly, shaking his head as if disappointed by something. _"Ein bisschen gewagt, findest du nicht?"_ He questioned, peering down at the duo. If it was even possible, the Briacharac looked amused by their actions. Oh dear, that couldn't be a good thing, for them, anyway. 

The hybrid, who had been quiet up to this moment, tilted his head as his poisonous eyes met the weary golden orbs of Croí. For a moment, there was nothing. But then, the hybrid's lips curled slightly, exposing needle sharp fangs as a low cackle of glee rumbled from deep within. _"Aapako pata nahin hai ki aapane kya kiya hai,"_ The serpent's words were light and air, but there was an underline of a dangerous hiss and...something else; something dark.

_"...kya aap?"_

Anam, despite the exhaustion tugging at their senses, could feel the energy coursing through them still. Shivering, they buried their face into Croí's chest; breathing in the warm scent that flooded their nose. This night, which was to be special, was truly becoming a living nightmare for the nervous youngling. Alas, this night was only beginning.

A soft cackle whispering in the wind...  
...eh?

Anam froze, a faint trickle of fear crawling down their spine as a single ear twitched, barely visible. They feebly clutched at Croí's soft fur; mindful of their claws as as the soft whispers of a gleeful cackle echoed painfully within their ears. That voice...it couldn't be...could it? Feeling their heart sinking as the cackle seemingly grew in sound, Anam slowly looked up; only for their eyes to widen in absolute horror at the sight.

There, hanging above the unsuspecting trio like an ominous storm, was a mass of withering shadows. Each tendril was thick and dripped with a poisonous fluid, a fluid that hissed as it splattered. Within that stormy mass, a vaguely familiar face could be seen by the uneasy rabbit, glaring down with glowing purple eyes. Oh dear, Anam was practically quivering as the fear struck true.

Twas the Darkling.

**Nog hai, little ehye**  
**Ymg' mgepah really ahlloig cahf h' ph' mgepah?**

It was strange, though. Strange how no one, save for Anam, saw the shadowy mass above; nor how none could hear the raspy words that echoed with impish glee. Unfortunately, for Anam, that is, Croí felt them shiver; as the older one was highly protective of the young rabbit. Realizing that Anam was not looking at the trio, but at something that was above them; something that only Anam could see.

Something powerful.  
Dangerous.

Unfortunately, one other saw that Anam wasn't looking at them, and he didn’t look all that happy about it, either. _"itanee jaldee nahin, haichaling,"_ The serpent hissed, his fangs exposed as he snapped his tail angrily. Anam flinched, ears flattening slightly as the darkling cackled.

**Ahh yog nilgh'rinah fun?**

Wait...what?

Anam looked up sharply, their reflective eyes wide as if surprised by the admission. The Darkling's eyes glittered like gems, but reflected nothing back but an eerie apathy as they seemed to smile; sending a chill down Anam's spine. Before they could even react, a rather thick and slimy looking tendril lashed out, and wrapped firmly around the poor rabbit's throat, forcibly lifting them into the air with a choked gasp.

Now, this was an interesting sight for those below. To them, there was nothing there, nothing to be seen, and yet, something thick had itself wrapped around Anam's throat, forcibly lifting them into the air. The poor rabbit was wheezing noisily as they clawed at what seemed like nothing, but to Anam; they were struggling to breath as the tendril was tightening its hold over their throat. The slime was soaking into their fur, making this all the more uncomfortable.

**_"Mgah'ehye ya bug,"_** Anam rasped, their words coming out deeper, more guttural. The language was not one that was recognized by those of Skydale, it left all of them unsettled. Whatever this language was, how in Mother's name did Anam even know of it? Much less being able to speak it as well as they did?

Anam winced, feeling ill as another slimy tendril caressed their left cheek; the Darkling's words echoing in their still rattling ears. More and more tendrils were lashing out, and were wrapping around their frame; effectively pinning their arms to the side. A chill went down their spine, the iciness flooding their limbs as their stomach lurched; nausea churning their senses as those glowing purple eyes met theirs, the Darkling leaned in, breathing softly.

**Oh little ehye...**  
**...Ymg' mgepah nilgh'riyar mine...**

Anam's eyes widened in genuine fear as another slimy tendril ran lightly across their muzzle, which was clenched tightly; the feeling of something terrible was to happen, was strong and true. However, the tendril's grip tightened to the point where Anam could no longer breathe, and was forced to open their muzzle just to draw in some air...which was all that the Darkling needed.

This night would end very, _very_ soon.

Ever so slowly, the tendrils began to push their way into Anam's body through every orifice that it could find. The tendrils were slowly slithering down Anam's throat, through their nostrils and ears, and yes, even down there; sinking into the quivering form, as if becoming a part of the rabbit's very essence. It burned with a raging inferno, searing Anam's nerves; leaving them completely and utterly paralyzed. 

It was as if acid was burning their senses, sweeping through as their eyes suddenly snapped open; when had they closed? Their pupils were dilating into thin, reptilian slits as their eyes finally settled on an unnatural shade of purple. There was no light there, just a void of eternal darkness. And unknown to those below, there was a dark storm brewing within Anam's mind.

The rabbit's mind, their very thoughts which were a jumbled mixture of fear and pain, were beginning to disperse. The pain was slowly fading as a pleasant warmth was settling in their soul, gently tugging at their fading consciousness; as if beckoning them to Morpheus' Realm. Dazed as they fought to stay awake, Anam felt a shiver of fear as they realized what was happening.

**Goodnight little ehye**

Sadly, that would be the last thing that Anam would ever hear. They could feel the Darkling's presence deep within their consciousness. Their vision was beginning to fade as Morpheus' Realm was becoming more and more tempting, and as they sank into the blissful darkness, Anam had one last thought...

**_I'm sorry..._ **

(...)

Just like that, it was over.

Anam, who had been lifted by something unseen, had spoken in a language that was not known by the residents of Skydale, nor by those who traveled the lands. It was a bit unsettling to listen to, and the serpent was beginning to wonder if this deal was even worth it now. And while no one could see what was happening, the actions and effects on the young rabbit was rather visible.

_"Hilane ke baare mein bhee mat socho,"_ He hissed, snapping his tail, as from the corner of his eye, he saw that Croí started to move. Croí immediately froze upon hearing that, holding up their hands in defense as the remaining two abruptly turned their heads. Surely there must be a way for them to check on Anam, there just had to be...

_"Sollten wir sie nicht überprüfen?"_ The Briacharac asked slowly, and for the first time, Croí could detect a faint emotion in the man’s voice; unease. The serpent hybrid was growing more and more angry as the Briacharac and Pridedane exchanged uneasy looks. Anam had always been the quiet sort with a gentle, kind presence. But now, now the air felt...heavier somehow; the temperatures were dropping and an eerie silence was now falling upon the clearing.

_"Fein,"_ The Briacharac grumbled as the Pridedane pulled back, shaking his head with a nervous gesture. Taking a deep breath, the Briacharac did his best to remain calm; but the feeling of approaching a dangerous predator was growing. The hair on the back of his neck was rising without warning, his flesh rippling with goosebumps, and even his heart was pounding like mad.

He was afraid -- more like terrified.  
But...but why?

A soft cackle rippled the air, it was childish and high-pitched giggling; and Croí felt a chill going down their spine. The laughter, the high-pitched tone was not one that was recognized, as insanity coated every giggle. Whoever was in control, and Croí felt their heart sink at the realization, it was _not_ Anam; but something else. Something far more older and more dangerous...

Dark...evil.

_"Faigh ar ais!"_ Croí warned. Unfortunately, for the Briacharac, that is, Croí's warning came far, far too late. The Pridedane's eyes widened in shocked horror, as Croí froze on the spot and even the serpent had stilled in shock. And to be honest, if anyone had come across this scene, no one could be blamed for their reactions; as it was truly a terrifying scene.

Pain.  
That was all that the Briacharac knew.

There was a sudden and sharp pain coming from his chest, which was immediately washed with a searing heat that could not truly be described. He was confused, and left in a bit of a daze as a sticky liquid began to drip from the corner of his mouth, as he let out a choked gasp. Confused, the Briacharac looked down numbly, blinking owlishly, before his now hazy eyes widened in shocked disbelief.

For you see, there was now a furry arm, buried deep in his chest. This movement had been so abrupt, that the limb had literally gone straight through his body; blood now coating the limb. It was with great shock to learn, that the arm belonged to Anam, whose now bright purple eyes met the hazy, dull orbs of the Briacharac.

Oh sweet Mother.

Anam's eyes, which had been continuously flickering from one color to another, had finally settled on a deep, unnatural shade of purple. Purple eyes that appeared to be glowing, against an endless sea of darkness. There was no recognition there, no traces of fear...just pure hatred; hatred...and _hunger_. This was no longer the sweet soul that was Anam, but someone or some _thing_ else.

_"Y-du..."_ The Briacharac whispered, a trickle of dark red dripping from the corner of his mouth; as if unable to believe what had just happened. **_"Yars yogor,"_** Anam cooed, their voice deeper and more silky smooth; the richness practically caressing their words. Their muzzle suddenly pulled back into a face splitting grin; revealing two rows of needle sharp teeth, looking like they could rip the flesh from bones.

With a soft snicker, Anam withdrew their arm with a sickening, wet squelch; a large object being gripped by their bloodsoaked claw. The stench of fresh blood flooded the clearing, and it only took the Pridedane a moment to realize what had happened.

A still beating heart.  
To be more precise, it was the heart of Benjamin.

Much like a puppet's strings being cut, Benjamin of the Briacharac fell to the ground; blood rapidly pooling beneath his still form. His face was forever a twisted mask of both confusion and pain; his eyes having a visible glaze as he stared blankly up at the clear, evening skies. There was no doubt about it, for the man was dead; and the Pridedane felt his heart sink at the sight. _"B-Benjamin...?"_

**_"Nng mgvulgtnah, l' n'ghftlloig,"_** Anam said softly as they peered down at the lifeless body with a tilt of the head. Then, looking at the organ that they held, Anam scoffed; before crushing the organ. There was another sickening squelch as the organ was grounded into a bloody paste before their very eyes. **_"Hai... "_** Anam breathed, straightening in place as they turned with a wide smile; purple eyes aglow.

**_"Ahf''s ep?"_ **

Halbert of the Pridedane wasn't sure on what to do anymore. He had been approached merely days ago by a shadow of a man, who had given him an interesting proposition. If he, Halbert, could bring forth the young clansman, Anam of Amberstone, then his greatest of wishes could possibly be fulfilled. His heart, which had been darkening over the years as his clan fell more and more into poverty, Halbert had agreed to the simple request; as he wasn't the only one who wasn’t fond of the seemingly monstrous rabbit.

Feelings that, as he looked upon the towering rabbit with a grimace, were being brought forth. Halbert had found someone who, much like himself, had little to no opinion on those who were nothing more than mere beasts; Benjamin of the Briacharac. They had a better chance of capturing the rabbit when they were approached by a serpent hybrid; languages easily spoken by one another. The two had never seen a being like the serpent before, and foolishly agreed to the compromise of helping one another.

A deal that he was regretting ever agreeing with.

**_"Y' ahnythor ah thanking ymg', Halbert,"_** Anam mused, rubbing their chin as they looked the nervous male over with a smirk; catching Croí's attention. **_"If nafl llll ymg' ng Benjamin,"_** They continued with a sly smile, those fangs gleaming, sending a chill down Halbert's spine. **_"Y' would mgsyha'h mgep mgepah able l' obtain fahf lovely ehye llll ya,"_** Anam snickered softly.

Halbert took a step back, his green eyes dark, not with anger, but primal fear. There wasn't much that he knew that could stop someone like Anam, not without causing some heavy damage, that is. But then, Anam's muzzle pulled back into another grin, their eyes dark and gleaming as their stomach rumbled loudly. Oh, oh hells bells; Halbert realized just how much trouble he was in.

_"Rith!"_ Croí yelled, snapping the man out from his paralyzing thoughts. Anam's eyes swerved to them, flashing dangerously. Shaking his head, Halbert turned and bolted through the woods, running as if he had the hounds of hell on his heels. Annoyed, Anam slammed a paw into the ground below, causing the ground to tremble and Croí staggered back as large and jagged shards of what appeared to be wood, surrounded them on all sides; as if forming a cage of some sorts. **_"Y''ll deal llll ymg' ephai,"_** They snapped back.

Croí was stunned as the branches formed around them, reaching out as the corrupted rabbit turned away with a huff. Anam couldn't do this before, was this perhaps the work of whatever it was that was possessing the poor rabbit? Unfortunately, whoever or whatever this being was, was determined to capture this night; as the moon rose above. It was time to hunt.

**_Ahh f' ah nilgh'riyar uaaah hnahh harder?_ **

.-.-.-.

_Got to escape!_

With everything that had happened, Halbert was pretty much running on instincts by now. He was decidedly pale, his stomach churning with nausea as his heart was pounding like mad; a painful whistle seemingly echoing in his ears as he ran. Unfortunately, for Halbert, that is, he had panicked a bit too easily and inadvertently, was running in the _opposite_ direction of the village.

The trees were growing taller, the trunks seemingly thickening as the branches stretched lazily towards him. The branches snapping at tender flesh as he ran by, leaving behind bloodied scratches in his skin. It was as if the magicks themselves were punishing him; a truly frightening thought that it was.

Unknown to Halbert, this night would end soon.

A night of blood, that is.

.-.-.-.

Finally!

Purple eyes gleamed hungrily as they lifted their head, breathing deeply; ears twitching as if listening to something that only they could. The moon was at its highest peak, casting an eerie glow upon the woods; the air was thick as a low mist snaked along the ground.

Shivering with anticipation, slamming their fists down, their body shuddered; muscles rippling with power. There was a sickening crack, as their bones seemingly snapped cleanly in two, but there was not a single spark of pain. Oh no, instead, heat was coursing through them, flooding their limbs with warmth; pleasure alighting their very nerves.

Their spine snapped as it began to stretch even further, muscles expanding as their body grew. Claws lengthened, thickening as they dug deep into the earth below. Their muzzle was stretching further, becoming more narrow as their teeth continued to sharpen. With a low rumble, they tilted their head back and let out a fierce howl, announcing the hunt.

Times almost up Halbert.

.-.-.-.

A fierce howl erupted from somewhere far off in the distance. Halbert nearly stumbled as the cry sent those who were resting in the trees above, flying into the air with a frightened squawk. As he went deeper and deeper into the woods, the magicks of the lands were beginning to affect the surrounding area; hidden, as it was.

The temperatures were dropping sharply as the mist thickened just enough where one couldn't see where they were going. The trees seemingly grew darker, thicker as gnarled branches stretched lazily across the darkened skies. Somehow, the air smelt...sweeter, if it was possible. Halbert staggered in place, placing a hand against a tree that he was standing by; as if to steady himself.

A sweet scent of honeysuckle and jasmine suddenly struck Halbert, flooding his nose as he breathed softly. The poor man groaned as his vision swam without warning, shaking his head as if to clear away the sudden fog that was threatening to overtake him. Halbert froze as a high pitched cackle echoed; seemingly surrounding him on all sides.

**_"Yog nog, yog nog wherever ymg' ah..."_ **

Oh sweet mother...

Tensing, Halbert's eyes darted about as heavy footsteps began to creep ever so closely. He needed a way to hide, and hide fast as the corrupted one was getting closer with each passing moment. Where...where could he hide where that blasted creature couldn't find him...?!

Hm...

**_"Y' ymg' mgr'luh ahagl. ph'nglui n'ghft..."_**  
...uh oh...

Realizing that he was running out of time, Halbert's eyes landed on a rather large, much larger than what he had first suspected, old oak tree. The tree's thick trunk was wide enough to shield him from prying eyes, and the gnarled branches were protected by thick, luscious leaves. Hopefully, the creature would lose interest; hopefully.

...he was hoping for too much, wasn't he?

Shaking that off, Halbert dove for safety, relieved for his small stature for once. The tree’s trunk was more than enough to shield himself; the thick plant life easily providing coverage. However, there was no time to relax as heavy footsteps came within hearing distance; causing him to freeze completely in place. He covered his mouth, as heavily snuffing could be heard amongst the harsh breathing.

Soft, dark laughter.

Somehow, the sweet scent of honeysuckle and jasmine was stronger than ever; flooding Halbert's senses. Warmth was beginning to trickle down his spine, his nerves tingling pleasantly. His vision swarmed without warning, darkness creeping into the edges. Something wasn't right here, this much, Halbert knew as his limbs began to feel weak.

**_"Ymg' mgepmgah'n'ghft..."_ **

Eyes widening, Halbert felt his heart freeze in place as thick claws were suddenly digging into the tree; and a large, heavy hand suddenly gripped him by the left shoulder. Before he could react, Halbert felt himself being forcibly dragged out and slammed into the unforgiving ground. The moment he was slammed down, pain exploded across his back, effectively shutting his nervous system down. Halbert was left paralyzed, completely and utterly helpless to the one who held him down.

**_"Yar's yogor, little mouse,"_** Anam cooed, eyes glowing softly.

_"Quare..."_ Halbert wheezed out, closing his eyes as tears sprung to them. He would have swiped them away, but he could not move an inch. _"Quare sic fecerit?"_ The dark rabbit was silent, one clawed hand pinning the man down as they tilted their head, purple eyes eerily blank. For a moment, there was nothing, but then, the rabbit's muzzle pulled back into a feral grin, deadly sharp fangs gleaming as thick droplets of drool splattered as they glared down at the terrified man.

**_"Ahh?"_** They crooned, a high pitched laugh having escaped. **_"Ah'kn'aa such foolish kn'a,"_** They cackled, tossing their head back as they spoke. **_"...ahhai ymg' already kadishtu ahe."_** They looked back to the man, before wrinkling their nose as an acidic smell greeted them, and Halbert was mortified to find that he had just lost control of his own bodily functions.

Suddenly, Anam's head seemed to snap to the side as their pupils dilated into slits. They lifted their head, ears perking as if listening to something. Huffing, they finally looked to Halbert, who was staring back with sheer terror, his undergarments now stained as he twitched, ever so slightly. **_"H' seems, however,"_** They mused, muscles rippling as if waiting in anticipation. **_"Cahf c' game ahnythor l' nog zhro."_**

They grinned toothily.

**_"Ymg' ah mg longer mgepulnah."_ **

Somehow, Halbert knew what the dark rabbit was saying. He wasn't sure how, but deep down in his soul, he knew exactly what was spoken. The last thing that Halbert of the Pridedane would ever see, was the raising of Anam's left limb; claws gleaming under the moonlight as the beast's grin grew. This was it, this was how he was going to die.

_"I'm -"_

.-.-.-.

Hells bells.

Croí had been in quite a few scraps over the course of their young life, but nothing like this. They closed their eyes, breathing softly as their pounding heart began to slow down. So it was true then. The dreams that had been plaguing them for months, were finally making sense.

**Éftase i óra, padí mou.**

...who was that, just now?

The voice was soft and warm, holding a distinct feminine tone to the words. The owner had a gentle, loving presence, one that seemed almost familiar to the nervous one. Croí groaned softly, placing one hand over their stomach as it lurched without warning; the other on the cage, as if to steady themselves. Nausea was churning at their senses, despite having warmth coursing through them. Their muscles twitched violently as the heat suddenly turned sharp as their nerves flared with startling pain.

This...  
It was a familiar sensation.

Shifting hadn't always been an easy task for them, to say the least. When Croí had reached the age where the shifting could start, it had started out as an uncomfortable process. Unfortunately, as they grew, the shifting went from uncomfortable to being outright agonizing. Well, it was like that for quite a few years until their body grew accustomed to the abrupt switch. But of course, this had been years ago and the shifts no longer affected them like it had done so many years ago. Only, if that was true; then why, oh why, was their body rippling with such familiar pain?

A sudden crack.

Biting down hard on their lower lips, Croí's eyes had closed as their body bucked from the sudden pain that was now flaring from their right arm. Feeling the sticky warmth dripping from where they had bitten down, Croí's eyes opened as they stared numbly down at the affected limb, blinking owlishly at the sight. This, they thought with growing fear. This shouldn't be possible...but it was.

Their fur had always been a soft shade of green, similar to the planet; but, there before Croí's very eyes, their fur was darkening with surprising speed. The green was darkening until it was darker than pewter, growing shaggier by the moment, partially receding from their hands. Their hands...oh dear.

Their nails were lengthening, growing longer and thicker as they turned inwards. Scales the color of ash, were slowly imprinting on their knuckles, spreading rapidly over their growing nails; which were looking more claw-like. They grunted, clutching at their stomach as there came another sharp crack, pain exploding in their ribs as they hunched over.

Hells bells!

The pain was immense, so much so, that Croí was forced to their knees; clawed nails digging into the soft earth below. Their bones were aching terribly as they cracked, shifting as they expanded to fit a new former; one that was leaner and more muscular. That was when they heard it, the soft, yet wet squelch of flesh ripping; the ripe smell of fresh blood filling the evening air.

Thick strands of now bloodsoaked flesh and clumps of fur, dropped wetly to the ground. Despite the grotesque site, the pain was fluctuating as the strands continued to plop to the ground; Croí, somehow felt lighter. Chest heaving, they felt their ribs push through the torn flesh, something sharp growing in its place. Another groan escaped, before Croí found themself coughing violently; a decidedly low, wet cough.

**Den ypárchei kanénas állos trópos.**

That was the last thing that Croí heard as their mind fell into darkness; a fierce howl filling their ears. Their mind fully sank into the shadows, as something else took over and raced into the woods; eager for the hunt. The end would soon be here after all.

.-.-.-.

Purple eyes gleamed, as Anam relished in the sickening, wet sounds of something soft being squashed danced merrily within their ears. Fresh blood gushed as bones shattered and brain matter dripped between their claws as Halbert's head easily gave under their hold. As if pleased, Anam dropped the body, now deprived of its head; blood matting their fur.

Lifting their arm, Anam's tongue darted out and lapped at the blood; a sweet moan escaping. How sweet, the blood tasted divine to the corrupted rabbit; the metallic scent flooding their senses. Oh, the things they could do to the unsuspecting village; ways that no one could foresee. But then, Anam stopped, head tilting to the side as one ear flicked to one side. For a moment, there was nothing. But then, they lowered their head as a slight smile graced their muzzle as they finally spoke.

_"Y' ahnythor mgep mgepkadishtu,"_ They mused, not turning as they spoke. _"cahf ymg' would escape."_ Somehow, it wasn't surprising that they could sense the nearby presence, only, it didn't feel like Croí anymore. This presence, whatever it was, was something far more dangerous; the feelings of being watched growing ever stronger. The air felt colder, and an eerie silence was washing over the woods.

The sudden abrupt pain in their left leg was the only answer they needed, as a set of dangerously sharp teeth dug in with determination. Growling, Anam's eyes narrowed dangerously and they shook their leg with enough force, that whatever it had been, was thrown off with a yelp. Ignoring the pain that was now filtering the limb, Anam finally turned their head and glared at the one who had so foolishly attacked them.

Well, well.  
Wasn't this surprising?

The beast was fairly large, standing at a height of five feet and equal in length; powerful muscles rippling as it slowly staggered to its feet. It held a distinct lupine shape to its form, fur a more ashen in shade with black tipped claws of their own. However, Anam noted that bits of flesh and fur had been cruelly stripped from its frame; revealing sinewy muscles and tissue, darkening bones visible to the naked eye.

Its face though...  
...it didn't have one.

Er - sort of.

Its head was more narrowed, but still distinctly a mix between lupine and canine; only the flesh had rotted away, revealing an eternally grinning skull. Panting softly, it shook its head before turning empty sockets on the corrupted rabbit; its jaw partially opened, showing that they had some very sharp teeth. Teeth, that Anam saw, was now dripping with blood as the beast growled softly.

**_"Ymg''re nafl n'ghftephai aware anymore,"_** Anam questioned with a tilt of the head. **_"ymg' ah?"_** The beast, who was once Croí, growled as it snapped its teeth at the rabbit, who in return, was oddly silent. Tsking softly, Anam shook their head, feeling a faint bitterness as they flexed their clawed hand, stretching the kinks out from their neck. **_"Perhaps Y' ahnythor ymg' epgoka yog ot ymg' misery?"_** Their voice was cold, the words lacking empathy as they calmly strode forward, only to freeze in mid-stride.

And no wonder --  
There was now a large, gnarled branch going straight through their chest!

Anam had jerked, staggering as the branch had pierced them; leaving them dazed, but only for a moment. Dark blood began to trickle from their muzzle as they gave a low, bitter laugh. **_"H' ah nafl matter r'luhhnythog,"_** They rasped, the control the shadows had over the rabbit were beginning to fracture as the branch seemingly quivered in place. **_"Fahf orr'e ephaisyha'h ah mine."_**

There was a soft hiss as the branch was cruelly torn from their chest, and Anam blinked at that; hard. They shook their head, one clawed hand grasping at the bloodied wound; blue-green eyes blinking into existence. The poor rabbit was confused, looking around with a weary gaze; their chest aching something fierce. What...what had happened just now? Why were they here...?

Oh!

Whimpering softly, Anam looked down and their eyes widened in stunned horror; seeing the gaping hole in their chest, right over their heart. Dark blood was still gushing through, staining their fur, exhaustion overtaking the shock. That was when they heard the guttural growls, Anam looked up weakly as they fell to one knee; meeting the monstrous beast. Somehow, somewhere in their soul, Anam knew who this beast was; pain and betrayal mingling as one.

_"Croí...cén fáth?"_ They whispered.

The beast froze, shaking its head as it instinctively sat down, tail curling around them as they stared blankly at the dying rabbit; as if confused. Was...was Croí even in there anymore?

No...

Anam shivered, their body was growing colder by the moment and they felt so tired now. This, Anam grunted as they slid further down, was this how things were to end? If only things were different, maybe, just maybe, they could have had their happy ending...

**Xekourasteíte tóra, paidí mou.**

.-.-.-.

With the death of the lone Púca, came a terrible price.  
The slow destruction of Skydale.

Nothing good would ever come to a land tainted by so much hatred. Innocent blood staining the land, leaving behind a world of pain and guilty souls. It was as if a curse had been laid upon the once wealthy village.

But, that is a story for another time.

Don't you think, my dear?


	4. Childish Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Childhood should be a good thing...shouldn't it?

**April 13, 1946**

_The door slowly creaked open as a red haired girl popped her head in; green eyes scanning the room carefully. The room was rather cozy looking, if a bit small. The walls and ceiling were shaded by a soft cream with a dark walnut trim, and there was even a thick, honey brown carpet; which was soft to the touch._

_The furniture even consisted of a twin bed, a small dresser, a desk complete with a somewhat comfortable chair, and a bookshelf with a variety of books. The closet was partially opened, revealing rows of slightly worn down clothes, and the lone shelf full of robots and wooden puppets._

_There, curled up on the bed, snuggling up under the thick purple covers, was a young child. Thick auburn locks framed a sweet face, as long eyelashes fluttered, the child breathing softly as they slept peacefully within the realm of Morpheus. He was clutching at a slightly worn, but beloved stuffed animal; a golden rabbit with a cute little purple bow and glassy eyes._

_Fourteen-year-old Calla-Lily Afton smiled tiredly as she quietly stepped into her little brother's room, approaching the bed with a careful gait. Her gaze softened as she gently pulled the covers back, his tiny nose wrinkling slightly at the feeling of the cooler temperatures. "It's time to wake up, Will," Calla called softly, as she sat down, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder._

_That toy of his..._  
_There was something decidedly off about it._

_Calla inwardly frowned as her eyes narrowed slightly. For the life of her, she couldn't remember when nor where, Will came into its possession. It had been carefully handmade; the fur a soft, golden blond with a slightly darker tummy. Its right ear was slightly more floppy than the other, and its eyes had been painted a warm shade of green similar to grass; and a cute little purple bow, was tied around its neck._

_Despite its suspicious background, Will positively adored the little toy; treasuring it and was very gentle as can be. Although, those glassy eyes had an eerily intense gaze. So much so, that Calla was always left unsettled. A soft whine escaped as Will turned his head to the side._

_"Come on, kiddo," Calla urged, her voice soft as ever. "It's time to get up." When he buried his head into his gray pillow, Calla pouted before a mischievous look flashed over her face; her lips quirking into a playful smile. "I know what will get you moving," Calla announced, practically singing her words as she raised a hand to her seemingly sleeping brother. "...is a surprise tickle attack!" And her hand darted out, gently poking the boy in his sides._

_Almost immediately, the little boy squealed, his eyes snapping open as he squirmed with delight. "S-Sissi!" He giggled, his lips twisting into a wide smile as she poked and prodded him; earning a ray of giggles and sweet, bell-like laughter. "There's that smile, I see!" Calla teased, as he batted playfully at her wandering hands. His bright teal eyes shone softly as he looked up with flushed cheeks, auburn curls bouncing as he sat up in bed._

_"Happy birthday, little brother," She said softly, wrapping him in a warm hug. Will sighed, leaning into the loving embrace; snuggling up to her. "Thank you," He said sleepily. Calla merely smiled as she ran a hand through his thick locks. Will was such a polite, sweet little boy and oh, how she wanted him to keep that innocence. But alas, Calla knew that it was not meant to last._

_Not now, not ever._

_"Come on," Calla finally said, after shaking off the darkening thoughts. "We got ourselves a busy day." Will tilted his head curiously, very similar to that of a cat, actually. "Mum and dad forgot again..." He said slowly. "...didn't they?" Calla stilled in place, her expression going blank as her arms lowered to her side. She closed her eyes, as if in pain. "I'm sorry little one," She whispered, her heart clenching at the thought of their parents._

_"...and Vanny?"_

_At seventeen, Vanessa Afton was one busy bee, to say the least. With this being her final year of school, Vanessa was more worried about getting into a good university, than anything else these days. Luckily, Vanny's grades were among some of the best. She was also well liked by her peers, and was in both the drama club and on her school's tennis team._

_Although, if Vanny didn't learn to calm down soon, she would burn out before the year could even end. Unfortunately, Vannesa was a bit on the busy side today. She was at a meeting with her fellow drama members; something about the spring play that was coming up. This would be taking up any time that she had, and probably will be like that for several days._

_Calla-Lily visibly winced as Will frowned. His brow had furrowed a bit as his teal eyes flashed dangerously. And to her eternal confusion, Calla thought that his eyes had born a silver shine, but it was gone before she could really get a look at it._

_Shaking that bit off, Calla gave him a soft smile. "Go on and get dressed," She said softly. "I made your favorites." Will perked up, his eyes brightening with hope. "Chocolate chip pancakes?" He asked eagerly as she giggled, nodding her head as he cheered. A much happier, little boy threw off his covers and hurried to get himself ready for what was sure to be the best day ever._

_It would be the best day of his young life._  
_And the last for a_ long _time._

(...)

_The shadows within the room flickered as the lights momentarily dimmed. A shadowy presence could be seen, lurking within the shadows, watching the child with a hungry gaze. It had been centuries since a certain soul had been felt, but now, that one had been reborn. Not as a Fae, oh no, for this one, was now_ mortal _. Purple eyes glowed softly as the owner grinned toothily._

_Well now..._  
_Wasn't this interesting?_

**Y' mgr'luh bugahagl l' ymg' nnn ahthrodog**

**...don't disappoint ya, little rabbit.**

.-.-.-.

_Reaching the kitchen with time to spare, Calla checked to make sure that the pancakes were still warm, and thankfully, they were. Humming softly, she pulled out two glasses and two plates, before pouring her brother some fresh milk, and herself some orange juice._

_She then served up two pancakes, making sure to add the right amount of butter and drizzling a light amount of syrup. Calla knew that, while Will didn't have much of a sweet tooth, he just loved chocolate. She had just placed his plate down, right as footsteps could be heard rushing down the stairs. Calla had to hide a smile, as she found him standing in the entryway of the kitchen; a wide smile gracing his sweet face._

_Since the weather had been pleasant all week, Will was wearing a short sleeved purple shirt, dark jean shorts with matching sneakers. She bit back her annoyance, when she saw that he was holding that stupid doll; barely managing it when she saw just how happy Will was. No, this was a special day for him; so there was no need for her to be showing any amount of displeasure._

_"Enjoy," Calla said with a slight smile, gently pushing the plate forward as he sat down. She then pushed the glass forward, making sure that he actually ate. Lately, Calla had noticed some oddities about him, and was concerned about his health. To be honest, Will had never been an all that healthy child. Despite his sweet nature, Will was decidedly pale and he always looked tired and ill. And it always, and she meant always, burned her whenever their parents would dismiss her concerns._

_...could they not see?_

_Calla was lost in her darkening thoughts as she dug into her own breakfast. Still, it was disturbing to watch as her parents' attitude slowly change. Come to think of it, Calla inwardly frowned as she lowered her glass; green eyes darkening. Hadn't she noticed someone lurking in the neighborhood lately? Someone who certainly didn't belong in an upstate neighborhood like Surrey?_

_Hmmm..._

_"Sissi?"_

_Calla snapped out of her increasingly darkening thoughts as she heard Will's soft voice calling through the cloud of anger; realizing that she had been staring a bit too long. Shaking her head, as if to clear away the fog, Calla focused on her brother; who was looking up with wide eyes as he lowered his fork. "...is everything okay?" He asked with a tilt of the head, his eyes soft._

_Whoops._

_"Don't worry about it," Calla lied, smiling weakly as he gave her a flat look. Clearly, he didn't believe her words; smart boy. "Does it have anything to do with that old man...?" Calla stilled, lowering her fork as she stared him down with wide, disbelieving eyes. "O-Old man?" She repeated, her voice weak as he hummed softly. "I sometimes see a funny man wandering the neighborhood," Will frowned, his eyes flashing silver once again._

_"I don't like him," Will said flatly, his words like ice._

_Calla's heart was racing, as she realized that she wasn't the only one who had seen the creepy elderly man lurking about. "Just," She swallowed thickly. "Just stay away from him, alright?" Her words rang painfully for a moment as he looked at her curiously, before nodding as he went back to his food. That was something that he could agree on. There was just something about the elderly man that rubbed Will the wrong way, a feeling of wrongness, to say the least. Who wore such horrendous colors with one another?_

(...)

_Unknown to the siblings, someone or some_ thing _was frustrated as the tracking spell failed once again. This could not go on for much longer, this was what they knew. They_ needed _to find that brat and get him under control; they already had done what was needed for the parents; but the youngest kept slipping their grasp._

_Where in Merlin's name was this kid?!_

.-.-.-.

_Wow._

_Despite the awkward conversation this morning, the day had been a fairly good one for one William Afton; much to his joy. First, Calla had taken him to a theater not too far from their home, a theater that was playing Heidi; a sweet and heartwarming movie that he absolutely loved. Then lunch was at a cafe that he had heard about; a cafe that had some of the best fish and chips around. This had earned Calla one of Will's rare and gentle smiles; which got her to smile in return._

_And now, as a treat, while on their way back home, Calla had stopped by an ice cream parlor; having picked up two small cones, one vanilla and the other chocolate. His wide smile as he was handed the chocolate, was perhaps the best part of this day. Knowing of her nightmares, and seeing how her brother smiled, made Calla content with her life. For the moment, anyway._

_Alas, such a pleasant day would end in pain._

_Will hummed with delight, his eyes twinkling as he happily enjoyed his cone; this birthday being his best yet. To his curiosity, not to mention confusion, Will thought that he saw something hiding behind a tree; just outside his vision. It looked very similar to a...a rabbit? He inwardly frowned, his brow furrowing slightly as he realized that it was indeed a rabbit; one that looked eerily familiar to him._

_This was no ordinary rabbit, though._  
_It was huge!_

_The rabbit was almost as tall as the tree it hid behind, their right ear shorter than the other; and their muzzle was twisted in an eerie human-like, ghastly grin. The rabbit's fur was a soft golden blond with slightly darker fur upon their belly, staining their muzzle and even lining their sensitive ears. How strange, that it wore a shimmering purple vest, a large purple bow and a single black button decorated its chest._

_As if sensing his gaze, the rabbit turned its head before raising a long, lean arm; revealing a rather human-like hand, shushing the surprised child with a spidery finger. The rabbit’s smile seemed to widen; their bright, purple eyes glittered like gems. For a moment, there was nothing. But then, the rabbit's gaze was drawn to something that was currently approaching the siblings from behind._

_Wait - what?_

_Soft laughter greeted the siblings, and Will was nervous when he saw Calla-Lily's eyes hardening as her grip over her cone tightened ever so slightly. Whatever was about to happen, Will knew that his sister was_ not _happy. Will, on the other hand, was tensing as the rabbit abruptly vanished; the laughter rising in pitch. Even more surprising, was when Calla suddenly stood in front of him; one arm stretched out as if to shield him from the approaching danger._

_Hm..._

_Curious, he took a chance and peered around her, only to reel back as if shocked. There, approaching them were a rather large group of boys about or a little older than Calla herself. There were from all states of life, and well, Will would assume so; judging by their clothes and how they held themselves. There was an ugly look to some of their eyes, their lips a twisted mask that held cruelty; looking his sister over with barely concealed hunger._

_Oh dear._  
_This wasn't good._

_"What do you want, Robert?" Calla growled, glaring at the leader. The 'leader', so to speak, was a boy her age with greasy reddish-orange hair, fair skin and cold, yet murky brown eyes; and was a bit on the hefty side. This Robert fellow had a real mean look about him, and he was partially slouched; his hands shoved into his coat pockets. Stringy locks shielded his round face as his brown eyes met her darkening ones; absentmindedly passing over her nervous brother._

_He met her gaze, before a smirk graced his thin lips. "You know why, Afton," He mocked, his voice crackling slightly; as if stuck somewhere between childish glee and what would most likely be a low tenor. Will, on the other hand, was adorably confused as he looked up at his sister with wide eyes. Had there been something going on at her school? Something that, perhaps, hadn't quite reached their parents ears...?_

_Calla's eyes had darkened to the point where they were nearly black with rage, but she was doing her best to keep herself calm. Everything would be fine, she told herself. There was no need for her to lose her temper. If there was anything that she inherited from her father, it was the infamous Afton temper; an explosive rage that was truly deadly once unleashed. Calla did_ not _want to frighten her brother, especially not on this day._

_To be honest, school had become increasingly difficult, ever since this year's St. David's Day had passed. For apparently, that was the day when Robert Derrickson hit puberty; and was relentless with his pursuit of any girl in their grade. For the last two weeks, he had been harassing her constantly; whether in school or out on the streets, he would be there. Well, it appeared that he had gathered himself a little gang of like-minded individuals._

_Her eyes narrowed as she gritted her teeth, her jaw aching in return as she glared at him. "Like hell, I will!" She snapped as Will flinched; feeling the anger that was coming off of her. He had always been a bit more sensitive to the emotions of others; and wasn't really able to handle any amount of anger all that well. He was getting more and more nervous, and for a good reason._

_"Look at what we have here!"_

_Eeep!_

_Will yelped, the cry soft and pained, as a much larger hand suddenly grabbed at him, grabbing his right wrist with bruising force. In his panicked state, Will ended up dropping what was left of his cone, the chocolate ice cream splattering the street as he was forcibly yanked forward by another teen. This was a boy about the same age as Robert, but taller and more lean with curly dark hair, naturally tanned skin and icy gray eyes; there was even a rebellious, punkish look about him._

_"Got ourselves a squirt here," He mocked, his words coated with a natural Irish accent, tightening his hold even further; thus earning another pained cry. Hearing him cry out, Calla whirled around with now pitch black eyes as her rage threatened to take control. Oh, it was on now; for Will to cry out like that, the strength of the hold would have to be on the verge of shattering bones._

**Sounds like ymg' need nilgh'rinah hafh, cub.**

_...huh?_

_Without warning, a wave of iciness flooded his limbs; a pleasant fog rolling in as it curled around his thoughts. Will's vision began to blur and it felt like he was simply a passenger in his own body; with someone or something else in charge. His teeth suddenly ached; the sharp pain was surprising, to say the least, and before Will could react, he suddenly bit down on the teen's hand that still held onto him; hard at that._

_The teen, Danny, yelped, a loud and angry cry, as the kid suddenly bit down; driving sharper than normal teeth into tender flesh. With a loud curse, he yanked his hand back; throwing the kid harshly to the ground. "Why you little shit -" He broke off as he grasped his injured hand, where visibly deep teeth marks, could be seen marring the otherwise reddening flesh. Shit, since when did a kid have teeth like that?!_

_Gray eyes had narrowed, as Danny turned a murderous look on the kid; before he was taken back by the sight. He had known that, as he grabbed the kid's arm, he had seen the eyes; a soft teal. But now, as the kid looked up, bright purple eyes peered out from the youthful face. Eyes that were an unnatural shade of purple with slitted pupils, and the kid's lips curled into a twisted smile, a smile far too large, that exposed bloodied, yet sharpening teeth._

_Shit._  
_What the hell was this kid?!_

**Y''d run, if Y' ymg' mgepah**

_Will staggered, shaking his head as he was a bit dizzy after that sudden episode, before noting that that teen who had grabbed him, was now holding the other; revealing a rather nasty looking bite wound. At the same time, Will could taste something that hadn't been in the ice cream. It was rather alarming that the taste was rather sweet; similar to strawberries. Such a sweet and tempting flavor..._

_"What the hell do you think that you're doing, Johnson?!"_

_Whoops._

_Yeah..._  
_...time to go!_

_Will swallowed thickly as just about every teen turned a dark look on him, the injured one was giving him a look that was promising a world of pain. His heart racing, Will backed up slowly, his eyes wide before he turned around and bolted in the opposite direction of the Afton home; desperate to get away from what was sure to be a bloody confrontation. "Get him!" Robert snarled, his rage clear as Danny slowly got to his feet._

_Moments later, the boys were following in hot pursuit; much to Calla's growing rage. The redhead whirled around to glare at Robert, her face white as snow, but her green eyes were black with rage. "If anything, and I mean_ **anything** _," She hissed, getting up in his face. "happens to my brother Robert, I will personally_ **end** _you." Robert was a bit taken back by her words, to say the least, and was stunned when she reeled back and literally slapped him across the face; hard._

_Shit._  
_She really meant business._

(...)

**Fahf way**

_Wasn't hearing voices the first sign of being, well...insane?_

_The voice was rather pleasant to the ears, being a low silky tone with a rich laugh. The owner was neither male nor female, young nor old; they simply were. To Will's eternal surprise, he saw a bright green arrow had been painted on the surrounding trees, pointing in a certain direction, hence why he was running further and further into the surrounding neighborhoods._

_Unfortunately, unknown to the child, the neighborhoods were gradually changing. The neighborhoods were thinning out as more and more trees were taking their place. This wasn't good, as it would make it harder for someone to find him._

**Ph' geb, cub**

_Hearing the soft whisper, Will stopped in mid-run; panting as he looked around wearily. To his surprise, he saw the same rabbit from before; peering from behind a rather tall tree that was just off to his left. They were gesturing to the tree, but the branches were a bit too high for the little boy to reach; not without some help, anyway. "Where is he?!" A boyish voice snarled as Will flinched; eyes darting about nervously as he hurried over._

_As Will reached the rabbit, it shushed him gently, placing a finger to its muzzle; bright purple eyes keeping an eye out for the approaching danger. The rabbit knelt down and gently picked up the startled child; their fur was as soft as it looked, easily regaining its bearings as it stood back up. Will squeaked as he was pushed towards the first branch, revealing that the rabbit was very tall._

_He grabbed the branch and managed to haul himself up; and just in time, too. Just as he hid himself amongst the thick leaves, the group of teens had finally caught up. Will tensed as he heard the footsteps growing heavier as the owners approached the tree. Taking his chances, Will peered down and grimaced when he saw that they were literally beneath him._

_If he kept quiet, maybe they would go away...?_

**Don't mgr'luh l' hopeful**

_At the soft sound of the mocking tone, Will's head snapped up and he turned ever so slightly; and met a pair of brightly colored, glowing purple eyes. His own eyes widened at the sight, and a rather pale looking Will bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, covering his mouth as he recoiled in horror. For you see, staring back was something that could only be described from the darkest of dreams._

_It was a withering mass of pure shadows. Thick shadowy tendrils that dripped with a poisonous fluid, withered about as those eerie eyes bore into his frightened teal orbs. Somehow, if it was even possible, this shadowy mass felt familiar to the terrified boy; oh, he was going to be having nightmares for months because of this._

**Y''ve finally mgepmgah'n'ghft you~**

_The mass seemingly smiled as a set of tendrils snaked out, and wrapped firmly around his thin wrists; tightening considerably. Will whimpered, but was unable to move as his muscles locked in place; leaving him helpless to the quivering shadows. His eyes widened as pupils dilated, when two more tendrils slowly reached out and gently pried his mouth open._

_Tears began to trickle as the sour flavor of rotten fruit flooded Will's senses, the mass slowly pushing its girth into the boy. His throat bulged slightly as he was forced to swallow the shadows, and he would have gagged, if not for the fact that he could barely breathe as it was. Finally, as the last black wisp pushed its way into him, a cold heavy feeling settled deep in his belly. And at the same time, there was a gentle pressure against his chest, before he found himself falling backwards..._

CRACK

_The teens whirled around in shock, stunned by the sounds of a sickening crack, for it was a familiar sound; the sound of bones shattering upon impact. To their disbelief, they found the kid sprawled out on the ground, just a little bit behind them; staring up at the skies. H-he wasn't there a moment ago, this they were sure of. Which left the ominous question, where the hell did he even come from?!_

_Wait..._  
_...something wasn't right._

_Swallowing thickly, Danny felt his hand throb as a chill went down his spine. He was getting a mighty bad feeling about this, as the kid wasn't moving; realization of their current situation was beginning to dawn on him. "S-Squirt?" He called, stuttering a bit as the others were beginning to back up, looking highly terrified at the possibility of the kid being dead._

_Silence._

_"K-kid..." Danny rasped, his heart pounding. "...t-this isn't fu-funny..." He whispered, his voice weak and cracking as he took a hesitant step forward. He finally realized that the kid had to have been hiding in the tree that they were under; and fairly high up at that, for such a fall. Still, there was nothing but silence, but then, Danny saw with relief, that the kid's chest was still moving._

_Good, he was still breathing._

_"What did you do?!"_

_Whoops._  
_Danny wasn't out of the woods, yet._

_The dark haired teen grimaced as he heard the pretty girl's voice; which was now shrill. He slowly turned around, only to see that the girl and Robert had finally caught up; looking on with disbelief (in Robert's case) and pure rage from the girl (she was livid - and for good reason!). Robert was staring at the lifeless body with what could only be a mixture of shock and genuine fear; the girl, while furious, was terrified for the kid's fate._

_Calla had run in the direction that the boys had taken, hoping that she would reach her brother in time; but it appeared that fate was against her. She had noted that Robert had followed her, but that didn't matter; getting her brother back safely, did. Unfortunately, Calla had arrived, just in time to see Johnson approaching her brother's lifeless body; and just lost it._

_"W-We didn't do anything!" Another boy protested weakly as she pushed passed him, desperate to reach the little boy. Then, another one; a blue-eyed blond, looked up at the tree with confusion. The tree was very old, and very, very tall; with the nearest branch being about seven to eight feet above the ground. The blond suddenly realized that the kid had somehow climbed up and hid among the thick curtain of leaves. "How'd he get up there, anyway?" He asked curiously, tilting his head as he shielded his eyes from the sunlight._

_"Will!"_

_Calla roughly pushed passed Danny; who, in return, had flinched from the harsh movement, but stopped as he looked down in shame. Danny had a little brother and sister, and he would_ never _act like this with them; which left him weary about his own abrupt actions. How could he have hurt a kid that was even younger than his own siblings? It just didn't make any sense._

_Calla's heart sank at the sight._

_Will laid there, his little body sprawled underneath a grand, old Oak tree. His auburn curls framed his face, skin white as snow and lips a pale, bluish-white as glassy eyes stared blankly at the skies above. His tiny chest was moving, albeit weakly; which was a good sign in itself. Only, why wasn't he moving? She turned white herself, as a dark red liquid slowly began to pool underneath his still form; the ruby strands reaching out like spidery fingers._

_Blood._

_The boys took a step back in fear, and the sounds of someone retching from behind, greeted them as one had broken away and hurried to a nearby bush. The cause of their sudden reaction was rather clear to Calla. There, jutting out from Will's shoulder and elbow, was something that shouldn't be there; something that was a dirty white. Bile rose up and Calla was fighting back her own nausea as she realized that the object was bone._

**Nng mgvulgtnah**  
**L' n'ghftlloig**

_The mass took on a somewhat familiar shape, that of the rabbit, even if no one else could see it. The shadow cackled with glee, as it looked to the now darkening skies with a wide, twisted smile. No matter how many times_ She _tried, the outcome for their little game was always the same._

**Ymg' move**

.-.-.-.

_In the end, after a run to the hospital, it was revealed that Will had broken his right arm in three different places. The breaks had been rather harsh, the bone having torn through tender flesh; the pain alone had sent him into a state of shock. He had also cracked his skull, leaving him in a dizzying state. What a way to end your birthday, huh?_

_Too bad, that this was only the beginning._

.-.-.-.  
 **May 10, 1947**

_Hurricane, Utah._   
_It was a growing town, a good place to raise a family._

_Or, so you would think._

_The Afton family had, shortly after their son's accident, decided to leave Surrey England behind for good. It was the belief of the parents, that by moving to America, that perhaps, their family could heal? However, their eldest daughter, Vanessa hadn't taken the news so well; as at the time, she had been looking into attending university. But to be told that she had to give up her dreams, had infuriated the teen._

_And so, it was with great pain, that Vanessa Afton closed her heart and mind to her little brother. She would never trust him, forever regarding him with suspicion and growing hatred. Calla, on the other hand, had no issues with the move as she wasn't close with any of her classmates. There were very few that she would consider friends, and they had already set up a pen pal program; so keeping contact was far easier for her._

_And another thing..._   
_Jack and Sarah._

_Ever since Will had broken his arm, Jack and Sarah Afton had slowly begun to change. Words that were once sweet and kind, became poisonous and cruel; encouraging smiles became harsh frowns, and the two were always angry now. Sarah, who had always been the type to encourage her children to follow their heart; getting them engaged in various activities and out amongst their own age, was distant now - almost catatonic really._

_Jack was the worst, though._

_Despite his fluctuating temper, Jack did his best to be a good father - really he did. He was protective of his daughters, believing that no male would ever be good for them. To Jack, Vanessa and Calla-Lily were his little girls; his princesses, so to speak. However, when it came to his only son, their relationship was as different as night was to day._

_What was frightening, was the slow change that was overcoming Jack. His teal eyes were indeed changing, the silver flecks growing stronger with each passing day. To Will, his father was the most terrifying whenever he would drink; a dark amber type of liquid. It always smelt funny to him, and Jack's attitude would take a dangerous nose dive._

_Darker._

(...)

_In a way to keep things calm at home, Calla had been taking her brother out whenever she had the chance to escape; even if it was only for a little while. First, it was the exploration of their new neighborhood; a small, yet quaint area. There was even a small park about a block or two from their new home. Then came the ride into town, on his brand new bike. Calla had spent a long time working and saving for it, gifting Will a shiny blue bike to him on his sixth birthday._

_The town was far smaller than Surrey, but that was a good thing, wasn't it? It meant that everyone just about knew each other, which left the crime rate at a very low level; and it didn’t take long before Jack and Sarah found jobs of their own. Even Vanessa found a job, something about a store, was it not? Anyway, she was applying to various universities; she was truly serious about getting away, wasn't she?_

_As for this particular Saturday, Calla had the urge to get out and spend the day out in the fresh air. She looked over to where Will was quietly putting his now empty cereal bowl into the sink; before getting an idea of her own. Sarah was grumbling as she nursed another cup of coffee as a red-eyed Jack shuffled downstairs; looking rather disheveled, and positively reeking of alcohol._

_Yeah..._   
_Better avoid the house for the day._

_Will turned, his teal eyes somewhat dull, but was surprised when his sister gently took his hand and carefully led him to the foyer. He inwardly grimaced, drawing a sharp, pained breath as his chest gave a terrible throb. As he put his bowl into the sink, Will had heard Jack coming downstairs in a way that he knew would lead to nothing but pain should he get in the way._

_Calla grabbed her little purse, one that was designed for those in her age range, and made sure that she had everything for the day. Her green eyes lit up, pleased to see that she had some spare cash (enough for lunch and a treat later), a tissue or two, some band-aids (which was a necessity now), and her favorite lip balm. Smiling, Calla looked down, only to see that Will was looking up with a tilt of the head, eerily mimicking that of a kitten; his teal eyes curious._

_"Ready for a day together?" Calla asked with a soft smile as realization dawned on him. Perhaps, since the incident last year, things were looking up for once. Will gave a slight smile and the barest of nods. He then reached out and gently took her hand, mindful of his breathing as the two happily walked out; never knowing of what was to happen that very afternoon._

.-.-.-.

_Today wasn't all that bad._   
_For once._

_It was just him and his sister, enjoying the fresh air. They had spent a good portion of the morning in town, just happy to window shop; although they avoided the place where Vanessa worked. Calla, on the other hand, was admiring some of the more finer clothes as they bypassed a dress shop. Hey, she may have been what many would call a tomboy, she did have her girlish, feminine side._

_Lunch was then spent at a small, yet cozy cafe for some roast beef sandwiches and crisps; bringing a small smile to the otherwise gloomy boy's face. And, to make this day even better, as they began the long walk back, Calla went and got them some ice cream floats. Will knew that he was mighty lucky to have such a kind and caring sister. He wanted to enjoy these little moments, without having to worry about the parents, or much of anything, really._

_...eh?_

_Looking up from his drink, Will was surprised to see that they had arrived at a small park, but not the one that was in their neighborhood. Blinking owlishly, Will looked around curiously before realizing that they weren't all that far from their house, about three or four blocks away._

_The park, while small, was rather nice looking; plenty of trees, bushes and colorful flowers, surrounded the land. There was a fully functional playground area, complete with a slide, sandbox and there was even a swing set for kids of various ages. Will was about to ask Calla why they were there, when he suddenly turned his head to the side; his eyes locking with the warm, amber eyes of another boy._

_A young woman around their mother's age, had brought along her son to the park for the afternoon. She was pretty with curly, sun-kissed blond hair, naturally tanned skin and warm amber eyes. Her son, who looked to be about Will's age, maybe a bit older and with a bit of childish pudge, was looking straight back. The boy had messy honey colored hair and his mother's warm amber eyes._

I know him...  
...don't I?

_Calla was startled when Will suddenly hid behind her. The woman looked down at her son, surprised to see the excitement lighting up in his eyes, which was followed by an eager smile as he walked on. Curious, she followed him and was startled to see that he was approaching a teenage girl, but there, hiding behind the girl, was a little boy who was peering out with wide teal eyes._

_Ah-ha._

_Maria Emily smiled softly, seeing that her son was quiet eager to meet this new boy, and chose to follow him. It was adorable how the younger boy squeaked cutely; ducking behind the girl once more (his sister, perhaps?). Calla blinked, somewhat bemused by the sight of the boy approaching them. However, she noticed that he only had eyes for Will._

_Awww!_

_"Hi," The boy chirped as his amber eyes met Will's teal ones. "My name's Henry," He brushed a honey strand from his face as he smiled, revealing that he had lost a tooth not too long ago. His smile was gentle, and his voice was soft and soothing as he held out a hand. Calla giggled as she gently guided her little brother out from behind; her eyes twinkling. "Well, it's nice to meet you Henry," She chirped as Will's cheeks pinked slightly._

_"My name is Calla-Lily," She continued as she gently squeezed Will’s right shoulder in a gentle, but firm reassurance. "And this is my precious brother." Maria was pleased to see this. She could tell just how close the siblings were, and was proud to see that there were some bonds that couldn't be broken; or so she thought. Maria found the little boy to be positively adorable; thick auburn curls, pale skin that seemed frail to the touch and big, soft teal colored eyes that stood out. He was incredibly shy, cheeks pink as he looked down; as if embarrassed by something._

_"W-Will," He stuttered a bit, his cheeks darkening._   
_"My name is Will."_

_Henry grinned as he gently took Will's hand into his own, somehow understanding what wasn't being said. "Then come play!" Will yelped as he was dragged towards the sandbox, startled and yet, he felt completely at ease with the other boy. Unknown to anyone, a strange image flashed over the two boys; that of a golden rabbit and bear, but it was gone._

_A warning of the future, perhaps?_

_Who knows..._


	5. Death at its Finest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why did this keep happening to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be forewarned, this chapter includes child abuse, attempted murder, possession, blood and actual murder.

_Hmm..._

_Where oh where are you hiding?_

_Eyes gleaming like gems, they scoured the neighborhood, sticking to the shadows as if not to be seen by a soul. It was annoying how much this kid kept disappearing on them, as if someone or some_ thing _was shielding the kid from their gaze. Alas, it did not matter as in the end, they always win. It was for the best that the kid did as he was told, after all, the parents were the perfect little puppets, were they not?_

.-.-.-.  
**April 13, 1954**

_Oooh..._

What the heck did I eat?

_The now thirteen-year-old William Afton grimaced, placing a small hand over his stomach; nausea churning his senses. His head was beginning to throb, an eerie numbness was seeping into his left side. The numbness was accompanied by an alarming stiffness, making it harder for him to move, his breathing coming out as harsh wheezes. Oh, this was not good as he couldn't afford to get sick; especially not today, of all days._

_Well, for one thing, this was his mother's day off. And well, he'd rather avoid her at all costs. There was a reason why he couldn't stay home, as he had a huge science test later this morning; which would count for a good portion of grade; and he wanted to keep his grades up, less pain on his end. His stomach still lurching, Will fought back the bile as he looked at the time, paling when he saw how late it was._

_He only had thirty minutes to get to his homeroom!_

_Swallowing thickly, Will slowly got to his feet, shivering as his stomach lurched. Biting his lip, Will checked to make sure that he had all of his school work, which he did; before realizing that once again, with a pained wince, he had forgotten about lunch. Recalling that funds were extremely limited, most went to paying the house and bills, leaving a limited amount for food; and what little there was left, went into feeding Jack's booze habits._

_The chances of him actually being able to eat today, was just cut short. Oh well, it looked like he was going to be spending his lunch period in the library; again, he might add. Should it be concerning that he was used to days like this...?_

_And now, for the hardest part._  
_Escaping._

_Grabbing his bag, Will adjusted his hold so that he could move easier; before his darker teal eyes scanned his room carefully. His brow furrowed slightly as an odd feeling washed over him. The hair on the back of his neck was slowly standing on end, as his flesh crawled with goosebumps; a chill having gone down his spine. Somehow, he was getting the feeling that something terrible was about to happen, as if he had gone through this before...but that was impossible._

_...wasn't it?_

_Shaking off the disturbing feeling, Will decided to take his chances, and peered outside his room. His eyes were scanning the dimly lit hallway as he strained his ears, heart pounding; desperate to hear if anyone was nearby. For a moment, there was nothing, but then his shoulders sagged as a heavy sigh escaped; feeling a sense of relief. There was not a sound to be heard, which gave him the perfect moment to escape - or so he thought._

_"Cá...Cá háit an gceapann tú go bhfuil tú ag dul?"_

_Will froze in place, his heart pounding like mad as a sharp whistle rang painfully in his ears. He could feel his very blood turning to ice as the owner spoke from behind, the words somewhat broken. Oh sweet merciful heavens. It was the voice of his estranged mother, Sarah Afton; speaking in her native tongue of Irish. Yes, that's right; Will was half Irish and half British. Strange how she was using Irish when she rarely spoke it..._

_Coincidence or not?_

_Breathing deeply, Will slowly turned around, his already pale skin turning a more ashen color as his mother approached him ever so slowly. You see, the Afton home was a typical two-story home; with his bedroom being at the far end on the second level. And unfortunately, for Will that is, his parents room were far closer to the stairs then his were, making for a rather dangerous situation right now._

_What was unnerving, was how Sarah looked by now. Her thinning auburn hair now bore thick streaks of gray, having grown scraggly over the last few years. Her skin was a soft cream and easily burnable under the sun, had swallowed with age, stretching over her bones as she gradually lost weight. Even her clothes, a faded blue blouse and gray skirt, seemed to hang off her now smaller and thinner frame. All in all, she looked like she hadn't been well in a long time._

_Wait -_  
_Something wasn't right._

_Everything seemed normal to him, still...there was an air of wrongness about this particular scene. His mother's head was lowered, her bangs shadowing her eyes as she seemed to sway in place; head twitching ever so slightly. The lights, which surprisingly enough, were still working as they flickered ominously; casting the occasional shadow across the hall. The air seemed to drop and to his eternal fear, the shadowy being that he would see from time-to-time, was lurking behind Sarah._

_"S-School..." He rasped, his eyes never leaving sight of the twitching shadow that had latched onto the oblivious woman. Will's eyes widened and he drew in a sharp breath, his eyes zeroing in as Sarah withdrew her left arm, which had been hidden suspiciously behind her back; revealing a rather large and very sharp, kitchen knife. "Níl..." Sarah rasped, gripping the handle tightly as her head remained lowered._

_...eh?_

_"Níl ... ní bheidh..."_

_Breathing deeply, Will took a step back, a bit weary of her words. "Ma," He squeaked, his eyes never leaving sight of the knife. "I_ have _to go to school," Will murmured, he was getting a bit twitchy with the knife being there. "Class starts soon." Couldn't she, you know, put the freaking knife down?! The way she was acting, so much like Jack, was making Will very,_ very _nervous._

_Hold on a moment._

_Jack wasn't home, that much Will knew, as the man had already left for work for the day. Then, shouldn't Sarah be at work too? Why was she still home? And more importantly, why was she waving the knife like that?! Sarah's head twitched slightly to the left, before a cruel smile graced her lips, a smile that was far too wide to be natural._

_"Dúirt mé nach!" She screeched, lifting her head._  
_...purple eyes?_

_Sarah's once soft green eyes had turned an unnatural shade of purple. There was no light there, just endless shadows as she glared at her now terrified son, with murderous rage. This was no longer his mother, but a furious demon who was hellbent on revenge._

_Turning white, Will jumped back as she abruptly, and without warning, lunged for him with the knife gleaming in hand. He darted to the side, having barely avoided the deadly swipe at his head. Hells bells, she was serious about this, wasn't she? Wincing, Will knew that if he stayed any longer; the chances of walking away dropped tremendously._

_Not having expected him to move like that, Sarah ended up hitting the wall with a somewhat loud crack, leaving her dazed as pain exploded in her side; her vision blurring momentarily. She cursed as she shook her head, unable to move for the moment. Will turned his head and saw that the way to the stairwell was now clear; giving him this one chance to escape. "Ná fiú smaoineamh ar imeacht," Sarah hissed as she slowly staggered to her feet, blood trickling down her head as her nose looked red and was beginning to swell._

**H''s mg ahuaaah, little ehye**

_...what?_

_To be honest, it was a bit disturbing how Will was the only one who could see the shadow; not to mention hearing the damn thing talk. For you see, Sarah showed nothing as the shadow spoke, nor did it appear that she could see the quivering tentacles as it stood behind her._

**Fahf game c' ah'ehye playing...**  
**...aren't ymg' tired?**

_"Faigh thall anseo anois," Sarah growled, her words becoming somewhat strained with her growing anger. Still pale, Will backed up ever so slightly, his heart pounding like mad as a sharp ringing echoed within his ears. "Nár chuala tú mé?" She hissed, practically spitting her words as he shook, so many thoughts passing through his head as he stared back, before his eyes looked downwards. "Dúirt mé, gabh thall anseo i gceart..." She trailed off as she raised the knife once more._

_"ANOIS!"_

_Without warning, Sarah lunged for Will, the knife aimed at such an angle, that she would have sliced right through his neck; if he had not moved at the last second. Unfortunately, Will had not been fast enough and had received a wild swipe to his left side; his fear muddling his senses enough to not notice a thing. As Will turned and ran for the stairs, he had, sadly, missed the first step and went tumbling._

_The teen grunted, biting down hard on his lip as he slammed into the wall and railings as he fell, landing on the foyer floor with a loud and painful crack. Almost immediately, a hot agony exploded in his ribs from the landing. That had been an extremely long and painful fall over -- what was it? -- two or three sets of stairs?_

_Will laid there, still in a gangly heap, stunned by the painful collision. Sweet merciful heavens, his body ached in ways that he didn't think was even possible. His chest burned and he could have sworn that his bones were moving a bit too easily for his tastes. With his chest like this, it was getting harder and harder to breathe; a clear sign that something was broken, or at the very least, fractured._

_"Tar go mamaí, Will," Sarah cooed as she slowly walked down the stairs. Groaning, Will barely managed to sit himself up, but his hazy eyes locked on her approaching figure, before shaking his head. There was no way he was going to stay here a moment longer. Biting back a cry, Will staggered to his feet and he ran for the door, never noticing as his bag fell to the floor, one side splattered with a dark red substance._

_All Will knew, was that he had to get out of there, and fast. He twisted the knob as his heart raced. Finally, after a few frantic moments, the knob jiggled loose and it swung open; much to his relief. "Faigh ar ais anseo, bastard!" Sarah screamed as she hurried down the stairs. Well, no one ever said that fear could be a motivator. Will didn't even look at her as he raced for school. Her screeches and furious howls echoed in the morning air; unknowingly catching the attention of their neighbors._

**Ymg' shouldn't mgep done cahf, kit**

(...)

_At thirty-three, Jane Anderson was not happy._

_Still in the prime of her life, Jane had yet to meet that perfect man and escape the small town life that had so thoroughly ensnared her. Oh, how she hated living in Hurricane Utah, as life had become stagnant and time seemed to come to a halt here. Jane longed for the excitement that was sure to happen in a big city, and well, she's always wanted to visit New York, after all._

_Instead, here she was, stuck as the assistant principal of Hurricane's lone school; tapping her foot impatiently. Hey, Jane hadn't been mincing her feelings about Hurricane. The town really had slowed production down, as there was but one school that covered all of the necessary grades; ranging from preschool all the way to senior year of high school._

_And, unfortunately, for her, that is; this was not going to be a good day._

_The skies had steadily been growing darker as the morning progressed, a distant rumbling giving off an ominous air. The temperatures, which had been pleasant for once, had begun to drop; the air somehow growing heavier, as a cool mist left a dampness upon the land. Jane shivered, rubbing at her hands as she silently wished that she had worn something warmer._

_Where on earth was William Afton at?_

_Jane inwardly frowned as she checked her watch. First period had started well over twenty minutes ago, and that boy had yet to show up. William Afton was nothing like his sister; Calla-Lily; bless that girl. Those two were so different, like night to day. Calla-Lily was an outgoing and friendly girl, who was quite popular with her fellow classmates. William, however, was not._

_William was a quiet boy who would watch people with a suspicious, if weary gaze. Granted, the boy was a natural when it came to subjects like math, science and technology, but he had absolutely no social skills. The poor boy kept to himself so much that he appeared to be a loner by choice. But hold on a tick, Jane's brow furrowed as she thought back. She could have sworn that he had at least_ one _friend, if not an acquaintance._

_Who was it again...?_

_Oh, right._  
_Henry Emily._

_Mr. Emily was a year older than Mr. Afton, but you couldn't tell that with how they interacted with one another; and she had witnessed some of those encounters first hand. The two were as close as one can be, though there was an air of tension that lingered between them at times. Henry brought out William's more gentle side, while William was able to bring out the older boy's more playful nature._

Finally!

_Jane Anderson straightened up, tucking a dark strand behind an ear as her gray eyes narrowed. There, finally coming in after half an hour of being late, was one William Afton. Ooh, she frowned deeply, that boy had better have a damn good reason for being so late._

_Frustration bled through as Jane crossed her arms, tapping her heeled foot as he stumbled forward. However, as her frustration melted, concern was coming through as she realized, with great unease, that there was something off about the boy. Something that left a great chill going down her spine. Something was terribly wrong, what it was, she did not know and was afraid to find out._

_For one thing, his balance was off-key as he seemed to be trembling in place, albeit swaying slightly. He was decidedly pale from what she could see, and it wasn't the healthy kind, either. His skin was becoming white as snow, as if it was being bleached before her very eyes. His breathing was picking up a bit, though it was harsher than normal; leaning heavily on his right side. What on earth could have happened that left him in such a state?_

_"Mr. Afton?" Jane's voice was soft and gentle, growing more and more concerned as his breathing grew weaker; wheezing noisily. "I-is everything alright?" It was at that precise moment, that Jane realized what was wrong. William's right hand was pressed firmly over his left side, a dark substance was seeping through. Alarmed by this, she reached out and gently removed his hand; absentmindedly noting how thin he felt._

_Oh hell._  
_...blood._

_His hand was coated with a dark red substance, which was seeping through his thin shirt. William stared blankly at his hand, before he seemed to panic as he looked up with wide, frightened glassy orbs. Oh dear, he was beginning to go into shock, which wasn't good for him._

_Blinking owlishly, the adrenaline was finally wearing off and William's eyes rolled back as he fell forward; only for a horrified Jane Anderson, to catch him. "Mr. Afton!" She cried, instinctively cradling him, tapping his cheeks frantically, as if to get his attention. "You need to stay awake, alright William?" Jane's fear had overridden her manners, as she spoke his first name; desperate to keep the teen awake. A quick look up, revealed that a bloody trail had followed him._

_Shit._

_"Can you do that for me, kiddo?"_

_Groaning softly, William struggled to focus as his side flared with extreme pain; as without the adrenaline, he could feel every movement. It felt like his very nerves were on fire, his chest nothing more than a raging inferno. "H-Hurts..." He was able to choke out as a thick, warm fluid came up. "I know it does," Miss Anderson's gray eyes were scanning him for any signs of injury, as she couldn't figure out where the blood was coming from, when he suddenly coughed; dark blood spurting from his lips._

_At the same time, her hand brushed against his left side, only for him to wince at the contact; his body instinctively bucking in return. As if realizing something, Miss Anderson lifted his shirt up, and her eyes widened in stunned horror at the sight of a rather gash that was marring his pale flesh. A deep and opened wound that was still pumping fresh blood._

_"Will..." Jane's voice trailed off as she met his hazy orbs. "...who did this to you?" It was surprising that Miss Anderson used his preferred nickname over his real one. Had Sarah done more damage than what he had first assumed? "Was it someone at home...?"_

_Somehow, she had hit the nail on the head as he flinched violently; and panicked when he struggled to pull away, his eyes wild. However, whether from the shock or the blood loss, William's strength was rapidly fading; but his instinctive reaction silently, and frightfully, confirmed her suspicions. William Afton was being abused at home._

_Alas, that last bid for freedom seemed to sap what little energy that he had, and Will could feel the gentle lull of oblivion beckoning him softly. From the corner of his eye, Will felt his heart sink as he saw the shadowy being lurking; bright purple eyes meeting his._

**Ymg' mgepmgah'n'ghft**

_As his vision began to fade, Will shuddered in place as it reached out and caressed his cheek. Once again, this revealed that only Will could see and hear the abomination as Miss Anderson showed no reaction to it. "H-Henry..." He rasped, before finally giving into blissful unconsciousness. "William...?" Jane was alarmed as he slumped into her arms._

_"William!"_

(...)

_Fourteen-year-old Henry Emily, who was writing down notes in history, suddenly felt a sharpness coming from his chest. Wincing, he lowered his pencil, placing a shaken hand over his chest, to be more precise; directly over his heart, which was pounding like mad. For a moment, he thought he had heard Will, but he knew that William hadn't shown up yet._

_Suddenly, and without warning, the piercing cry of an approaching ambulance caught the attention of many classes as students alike, all looked up as one. Seeing how this particular history class was facing towards the front of the school, the flashing lights coming from the parking light, was what caught the class's attention. The piercing ambulance was broken by the wail of the approaching police force._

_What the heck was going on here?!_

_Henry felt his heart sink as an icy chill went down his spine, for the sounds of heavy footsteps were heard racing down the hall. His fear only grew as the class murmured as shouts rose in feverous pitch; the horror within the tones was all too telling. Something terrible had occurred outside, and no one had a clue as to what was happening._

_It was frightening, to say the least._

_Henry wanted to curl up as he heard his classmates chat softly around him; the teacher looked quite nervous as he kept looking to the closed door. It wasn't until the distant sounds of the ambulance pulling away, when Principal Brown, with a grim look upon his aged face, walked into the classroom. Henry's stomach churned, feeling nauseous as Principal Brown approached Mr. Lopez; the two speaking softly, with Lopez shooting a_ very _nervous Henry an unreadable look._

_Finally, Mr. Lopez sighed, his brown eyes tired as he removed his small glasses; rubbing at his eyes as he spoke. "Mr. Emily," He said quietly, his voice light but with a noticeable Spanish accent. "You're expected in the principal's office." Pale, Henry slowly gathered his things; placing them into his bag, which he grabbed as he quietly followed Principal Brown out._

_Surprisingly enough, Henry was shocked to find his mother speaking loudly with Principal Brown's secretary; some no name girl from a tiny town. "Ma?" Henry called, feeling confused when the blond haired woman turned, relaxing when she saw that her son was alright. "Mr. Brown," Maria Emily's voice was sharp as she gave the older man a stern look. "Do you mind explaining why I had this girl call me at such an early hour?"_

_"It's Will...isn't it?"_

_Principal Brown stopped, looking down at Henry Emily with a raised eyebrow. The teen was silent as he looked up with dulling brown eyes. Seeing the pain and fear reflecting back, the elder male sighed as he spoke softly; his words leaving a chill down Mrs. Emily's spine._

_"Yes."_

.-.-.-.  
**April 13, 1957**

_Sweet sixteen, huh?_  
_More like a nightmare._

_William Afton was laying in bed, sprawled out on the thin covers as he gazed up at the dusty ceiling with a deep frown. The last three years hadn't been an easy one, what with his mother having attempted to, you know,_ kill _him. From what he could remember, he had barely escaped; running for the safety of the school when he had ran into (literally in his case) the assistant principal, Miss Jane Anderson. Unfortunately, that had been the last thing he remembered, before waking up some time later in the hospital._

_Boy, that was fun._

_Note the sarcasm, folks._

_Funnily enough, Miss Anderson proved that she wasn't all that she appeared during school hours. Normally, the dark haired woman was curt with her words, and she always appeared to be annoyed by something; not this time. During his time in the hospital, Miss Anderson showed that, in reality, she was a kind woman with a gentle personality as she had been worried sick about him._

_Along with Miss Anderson being there, Will learned that there had been a couple of officers who had been by to talk with not only Miss Anderson and the hospital staff, but had also spoken with his teachers and of course, his father. The man, while polite and courteous, only Will saw the dark look to his father's eyes and knew that he was going to be paying for this for a long time; and unknowingly, he was right with his assumption._

_What had been even more shocking, while during a period of semi-lucidness, was finding Henry Emily along with his mother, by his side. It had taken three days of being in-and-out of consciousness, before Will had been strong enough to remain awake. And when that had happened, he learned the truth. Sarah had done more damage than what was believed possible for someone so slight._

_Will's chest had been a mottle of bruises, all in various stages of healing; though quite a few were a dark purple, showing that it went all the way to the bone. Unfortunately, a few ribs were pressing through the skin, hence, why he had so much trouble breathing before. The opened wound was revealed to be a gash deep enough that it required roughly sixty or so stitches to fully close. Even worse, he had taken a heavy blow to the head, which led to a rather painful week of severe migraines and dizzy spells._

_However, despite the damage, Sarah Afton was not charged with attempted murder. Instead, she had been ruled incompetent to stand trial and was immediately sentenced into psychiatric care. Sadly, he was still left with his father; Jack Afton, who only got worse and worse. Will could recall an odd event about a year after the accident, listening as his father was speaking with someone over the phone; the words hushed, but grim. He wasn't sure how, but Will knew. Oh, how he knew._

_Sarah Afton had died._

_After Sarah's death, his father, well, the man's personality had done a complete one eighty; but only Will ever knew. Jack's eyes had always been a soft teal, though when they moved to America, they had begun to gain a silver tint; his temper becoming worse with each passing year. And now, with the death of the one Jack truly loved with all of his heart and soul; his eyes had gone from a purplish-silver to a pure, yet eerie shade of purple. An all too familiar shade at that._

_Thus, sealing his fate._  
_And the fate of Will._

_Speaking of which, Will grimaced as his left side ached. It was probably best that he avoided the house for the day. Jack had been on an alcohol binge lately, and the man was quickly becoming unpredictable to the point, where Will feared for his life. Hopefully, Jack was sleeping off his latest binge, and Will could leave safely. He suddenly paled, as if realizing something._

_He just jinxed himself, didn't he?_

_...shit._

_Wincing as his limbs protested from the sudden movement, Will slowly got to his feet and hastily changed from his worn shirt and sweats into a purple shirt and jeans, carefully slipping on his shoes as he poked his head out the door. Will's teal eyes scanned the hallway carefully, straining his hearing as he tilted his head._

_He was still tense and a bit agitated as he listened. Will's shoulders were raised slightly as if bracing for something, but to his eternal relief, there was nothing. Nothing but silence, that is. Hm, how curious and knowing his father, Will wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad. Still nervous as all get out, Will inched out of his room carefully, scanning for any signs of life, but again, there was nothing._

_Wait a minute..._  
_...where_ was _Jack?_

_Ooh, Will couldn't deal with the stress right now; not with how his body kept protesting with each movement that he took. Hell, even his chest was aching, his harsher breathing was a clear indication of his failing health and Will knew that he needed to get out of here and fast. Perhaps an afternoon at the park could sooth his frazzled nerves?_

_Will's teal eyes darkened as they dimmed in thought. Yes, while it had been nice having Henry by his side, for once, that peaceful time became a painful memory. For you see, shortly after his mother's passing, Henry was drifting away even further; looking to his future and spending his days surrounded by books. It was as if a fog had settled over the older boy, and Will wasn't sure how he felt about that._

_...eh?_

_Blinking owlishly, Will came to halt as he looked around curiously; surprised to find that he was now in the center of the foyer. Oh dear, he had been so lost in his thoughts that he had, unknowingly, made it downstairs without much trouble. He shook his head, as if to clear away the fog, before looking ahead and saw that the way to the front was free and clear._

_...uh oh..._

_Will froze in place, his heart racing as his lungs felt like they were on fire; a piercing ring echoing in his ears. A cold chill swept down his spine, his flesh crawling with goosebumps, and his hair was practically on end. Fear...why was he so terrified...?_

_Then he heard it._

_Before Will could reach for the dingy knob, the soft sounds of someone shuffling from behind. Shuffling that was followed by the scraping of glass against wood, and the stench of cheap alcohol flooded his nose. That could mean only one thing, and one thing only; Jack Afton was awake. And more importantly..._

_...right behind Will._

_Swallowing thickly, a somewhat pale Will slowly turned around; flinching visibly at the sight. Sure enough, standing in the entryway that stood between the kitchen and living room, was Jack Afton. The man looked awful, having aged terribly over the years. His hair was positively gray, stress lines marring his now paler, thinner face; and heavy bags lined his eerie, purple eyes. He was thinner, too and unhealthy at that. Jack's greasy brown shirt seemed to hang off his emaciated frame, and he was swaying on the spot; and no wonder._

_Jack was holding a half empty bottle of booze._  
_He was_ still _drunk._

_A quick look revealed bloodshot eyes and a more haggard look as the man rubbed at his temples, confirming his status. Jack was not only drunk, but he was angry as well. The clear signs of extreme displeasure told Will that he was treading on thin ice right now. "Where...do you think...you're go-going...?"_

_Here's hoping he was in a good mood._

_"O-out," Will rasped, stuttering a bit as he instinctively lowered his head. His shoulders were tense as his breathing picked up; mind racing over the potential outcomes of this, and not one of them would end well, for him, anyway. Taking another swig, Jack glared at him, bloodshot eyes narrowing slightly. For despite all of her flaws, Jack truly loved his wife with all of his heart. And after her commitment and eventual death, he, well, he was lost without her._

_His little girls had gone on with their lives, with Calla-Lily attending a good university back in their home country. No man would ever be good for his girls, but he knew that they were intelligent, head strong ladies and that they would be alright by themselves; well, Calla would, anyway._

_Jack's heart broke for good once he was given the news about Vanessa's terrible fate. There was something that Jack had never told his wife about; a dark secret about his family. How his family had a history of mental illnesses. And, unfortunately for Jack, one in particular had completely ensnared his senses. He could no longer see William as his son, but an abomination that destroyed his once perfect life._

_A stain that needed immediate removal._

_"N-No you're...not..." Jack growled, his voice cracking from disuse. Will's head snapped up, tilting slightly as his eyes dimmed a bit, reflecting his inner confusion. Good, there was no need to raise its suspicions. He could not, would not let it escape its fate. "Y-You're st-staying...he-here..." Jack rasped, his purple eyes bearing a strange glint to them; somehow looking brighter._

_A soft cackle of a laugh._  
_A rather_ familiar _laugh._

**Ahf' c' ah mgep geb?**

_Jack's pupils seemed to dilate as they thinned into nearly reptilian slits, turning somewhat cloudy as he shuddered. His head was aching terribly, and Jack somehow knew that this had nothing to do with the amount of alcohol that he consumed on a regular basis; it didn’t feel the same, at least. Darkness was seeping into the edges of his vision, as he raised his free hand to his temples._

_An icy numbness was trickling down Jack's spine, flooding his limbs as a misty fog was curling around his fading thoughts. If he didn't know any better, Jack would have thought that someone or something, was gripping his shoulders, almost painfully so; but there was not a soul around. Perhaps his illness was acting up?_

**Yarr yogor**

_Squinting a bit, Will was suddenly taken back by Jack's actions. Jack's right hand suddenly rose, before coming down rather harshly; leaving a stinging pain in Will's right cheek. The teen staggered back from the sudden blow, raising a hand to his cheek, feeling the heat coming off as he stared at the man in utter disbelief._

_Jack, he...he actually slapped Will! Sure, Jack got rather creative with his poisonous words as verbal poison was a lot more effective than anything physical. But not once in his life, had he ever raised a hand to Will, not like this, anyway. This, this could be very,_ very _bad; for the both of them, that is. And if it got out, then there was going to be a world of trouble._

_"Y-You..." Jack hissed, his voice dropping a bit as he staggered in place. What was nerve wrecking for the poor teen, was hearing Jack's voice growing deeper, more guttural as he glared at the terrified boy with murderous eyes. "T-This i-is all...y-your fault..." Jack reared back and smashed the bottle on the wall; which shattered upon impact. Will flinched from the sounds of glass shattering, the warm golden amber liquid that now dripped down the walls, and the glass shards now scattered across the floor._

_"My be-beautiful wife..." Jack wheezed, clenching his fists as his head lowered; his mind becoming numb to all. "...my little girls..." Will froze in place, becoming more and more nervous as his eyes darted from the mess to Jack, and back again. While they may have closed themselves off to their brother, Will still cared very much for them. Had...had something happened?_

Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?

_Footsteps..._

_Realizing that he was getting lost in his own thoughts once again, Will shook his head; as if to clear away the growing fog. The chill that he had felt before, came back with a raging force, swallowing thickly as his stomach lurched; nausea churning his senses. The air felt thick, somehow, growing thicker as the temperatures were dropping at an alarming rate, an odd shadow seemingly settling over the rundown home._

_What was...why was he so afraid?_

_Wait a minute..._  
_...where was Jack?!_

_As if realizing something, Will snapped to attention and was stunned into silence when he saw that Jack wasn't where he had been before. Even as lost in thoughts as he had been, Will could distinctly recall hearing footsteps. When and where did Jack get to? For, William was genuinely frightened for his life. Jack was clearly unstable and who knew what the man was really capable of. Now, this was his only chance of escaping, but why on earth wasn't he moving?!_

**_"Y-You..."_ **

_Uh-oh..._

_Jack's voice had deepened considerably, becoming more and more guttural; it was as if two people were speaking as one. Just then, a shadow loomed over Will, catching the teen's attention; who was decidedly pale. The shadow that was looming over him did not belong to a human, but something else; something far more dangerous. And at the same time, something quite heavy came crashing down on Will's back, earning a pained cry in return._

_PAIN!_

_Will bit down on his lip, feeling the warm blood that bubbled up from piercing the soft flesh; barely able to keep the scream in as something heavy came slamming down on his back. Through the boiling agony, Will thought that he heard the barest of cracks, but that confusion melted away as he fell to his knees with a nosy wheeze._

**_"...al-all y-your...fault..."_ **

_Hearing the broken words of his father, Will shuddered visibly in response. The man's voice was flat, lacking any form of empathy; malice practically dripping from the hollowed tone. Will managed to flip himself over, hissing softly as his back flared from the sudden movement; before turning white as he looked up in stunned horror. There was no way that this was happening, surely he was dreaming...wasn't he?_

_Jack Afton loomed over him, only..._  
_...he didn't look quite himself._

_Jack's pale skin, if this was even remotely possible, was beginning to take on a more grayish tinge; his face becoming more narrowed. He had always been a tall man, an inherited trait, of course, but was Will imagining things now? Jack was somehow looking taller, his frame leaner with longer limbs and a more curved spine; which was giving the man a more animalistic appearance. His nails were somehow longer, thicker as they were turning inwards._

_And his eyes..._  
_...such an eerie shade of purple; glowing too._

**_"...y-you'll...pa-pay..."_ **

_Will was beyond terrified by now. Whatever this was, it wasn't Jack; not anymore at this rate. The beast hissed, slitted pupils locking onto the trembling teen, and lunged for Will; a single claw-like hand reaching out for Will's chest. Unfortunately, for Jack, that is, Will was far more resourceful than what the man credited him for. Seeing the growing danger, Will reeled back, lifting his legs just as the beast lunged for him._

_And in the nick of time, at that._

_The beast was startled, purple eyes wide as Will's feet met its chest, the teen somehow kicking it overhead and right into the harshness that was the house structure. Will felt a sense of relief when he heard the loud and painful sounds of flesh meeting the unforgiveness that was wood._

**Ahagl ymg' ah ahlloig cahf ymg''re bug, cub?**  
_...uh-oh..._

_Will didn't have anytime to react as he was awashed with a decidedly cold chill. His vision was beginning to blur as his limbs seemingly locked into place; the granddaddy of all migraines was ripping into his senses. He could not move, much less blink; all he could do was,_ feel _and feel everything he did._

**Ahh nafl mgep little fun ehyeog?**

_That was when Will felt himself being pushed gently back as something else took over, leaving him nothing more than a passenger in his own body. He stopped in place, his head lowered as his ears twitched; barely picking up on the faint growls from where Jack had been thrown. Come to think of it, how_ _did he throw a man twice his size like that?_

**_"G-Get ba-back here...y-you little sh-shit..."_ **

_The presence, whatever it was, he could feel it bristling from within his mind. Oh my, Will inwardly winced when he felt its annoyance, the underline of rage was all too clear. This being, was getting mighty angry with Jack, and unknowingly, forfeiting his very life._

_Soft, dark laughter suddenly erupted._

_Staggering to his feet, Jack shook his head as a warm liquid slowly trickled from his temple. He was pissed that the demon had tossed him like that and he wanted blood. Somewhere from within his shattered thoughts, there was a sense of uneasiness, as it tugged at his conscious. His instincts, or whatever was left of them, was warning him to hightail it out of there. Something was wrong with the brat and it would be him who would be paying for it._

**"Ymg' mgep mg lloighnah,"** _Will whispered, but there was something off with his tone. It had dropped just enough to be noticed, the words coming out in an unusual language._ **"ahf' ymg''re getting ymg' ph'nglui,"** _With his head lowered and back to the turned man, no one saw as a wide, twisted grin graced Will's lips as he spoke. It was as if two people were speaking, one was indeed Will's...but, who was the other?_

**"...ymg' ah jack?"**

_Suddenly, and without warning, Will vanished; which caused Jack to pause. He tensed, purple eyes darting about as he looked for the demon with a weary gaze. That should not have been possible, no one was that fast, thus confirming his beliefs that thing wasn't his son...not anymore. It had revealed its true self and Jack knew that he needed to put it down, permanently and then, he could finally rest._

**"Ymg' presence ah mg longer mgepulnah."**

_A sharp pain suddenly came from his neck and Jack found himself collapsing into a gangly heap. His nose cracked slightly as his face met the old floor, leaving him stunned. What the hell had happened just now? Before he could react, Jack felt himself being forcibly turned over onto his back, but as that happened, there was a sharp heat that struck his spine; before melting into a mind numbing chill. Then, there was a slight pressure as he was being straddled down, soft cackles coming from above._

_...eh?_

_Blinking owlishly, Jack was furious to find that it was Will, who was sitting on his chest, but there, in his right hand, was something rather unexpected. It was the gleam of a rather large kitchen knife, one that bore a bit of bright red on the sharp tip. A further inspection revealed the twisted smile that the teen bore._

**"Good-bye, Jack Afton."**

_Jack's purple eyes widened as the teen raised the knife, before bringing it down. A sharp pain seared across Jack's throat as his vision was marred by a bright red mist that exploded before him; showering the teen's face in fresh blood. His vision was already feeling as he choked, blood spurting from his lips, unable to move as he laid there; dying in a pool of his own blood. The last true thought that Jack ever had, came through as darkness beckoned him softly._

What have I done...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ain't I a stinker?~


	6. In Sickness and In Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a dark turn for the Afton's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be blood, death, torture (magical and pharmaceutical), soul possession, domestic abuse and implied child abuse. If this bothers you, I suggest that you turn around.

**March 15, 1980**

_"Everything alright over there, Will?"_

_William Afton looked up, blinking owlishly as if surprised by being spoken too. He had been in the process of changing into the Spring-Bonnie costume, when he had been addressed from behind. It wasn't surprising to see Henry Emily across the room, in the Fredbear costume -- minus the mask -- looking at him with a concerned gaze._

_Oh._

_Will shook his head as if to clear away the early fog, before giving the barest of shrugs. "I'm fine," He mumbled, his teal eyes looking down at the mask. Henry frowned, before huffing as he rolled his brown eyes good naturedly. "Let me guess," He said dryly. "Finn keeping the two of you awake again?" When he saw the younger male flinch, Henry knew that he had hit the nail on the head._

_It wasn't surprising to know that Will was having trouble sleeping, he did have three kids, after all. Michael, who was the same age as his own daughter, Charlie. Then there was little Elizabeth, who was just about to turn four herself, and their youngest son, Finn, who wasn't even three yet. All three were so different from one another, rambunctious Mikey, Elizabeth who was always curious about everything, and poor Finn, who was beginning to reveal his more timid personality; was always crying._

_No wonder William was always tired._

_With that kind of activity, it was a damn miracle that he could function at all._

_Inwardly sighing, there was a brief period of silence as the two men continued to change; as today was to be a busy day. There was a birthday party midday today, followed by a session or two with the kids who wanted to see Spring Bonnie and Fredbear up close. "It's not just that," Will finally spoke, his voice careful as he did not turn as he spoke._

_...eh?_

_Checking to make sure that he had everything in place, Henry glanced back over to Will, his eyes widening as he caught sight of a rather ugly bruise, that was barely visible from underneath the costume. "Will," His voice was soft and gentle, as he did not want to startle the other. "Where did you get that bruise?" Will immediately froze in place, tensing ever so slightly, his breathing coming out just a bit harsher._

_For a moment, there was nothing. But then, a heavy sigh escaped Will, as he fiddled with the gloves. "Things...things haven't been going so well," He admitted quietly, but his voice was flat. Henry stilled, he did not move, much less speak; he could only stare at the other in disbelief. Will...he couldn't be hinting at what Henry thought he was...could he?_

_Oh dear..._  
_...what was he to do?_

_Sadly, nothing could be done._

_Henry knew that Dana, Will's wife, had a bit of a temper on her but she was generally a quiet woman. But man, when she got angry, it was best to watch out as her words could get quite poisonous. It was a little worrying, as this was not like Dana to get physical...if his suspicions were correct, that is._

_"Let's just get this over with," Will mumbled as he adjusted the costumed pieces. There was more lying ahead for them, after all. Henry grimaced as he looked away, brown eyes dimming slightly; knowing that Will was indeed correct. Some big headshot company had approached them not that long ago about buying their little diner out, and neither man was happy about that. Even if, even if the deal was all too tempting._

_They had spent years planning Fredbear's Family Diner out and had achieved their dream barely a year ago and were doing quite well for themselves. The locals were even enjoying themselves with the menu that Will had carefully crafted and both had worked on the designs of the two mascots; Fredbear and Spring Bonnie. The kids positively adored the two mascots, hence why they started accepting birthday parties..._

_Still, though._  
_Why had they never heard of Fazbear Entertainment before?_

(...)

_Watching as the two men left the room, they carefully emerged from the shadows with a slight frown and a shake of the head. The two may believe that everything with their lives was normal, but only they knew the truth. This was merely the beginning of their nightmarish hell. A cruel smile graced their lips, eyes glittering like gems as a soft chuckle escaped them._

_Let the games begin!_

(...)

_Finally, it was over._

_The day had been a long one, far longer than what either of them were used to. Both men, as Henry waved off the last guest, were exhausted; feeling gross from being in the costumes for so long. Despite the rowdy kids, it had been an interesting one, to say the least. And right now, the only things that they were looking forward to, was a long hot shower and a good, hot meal._

_"Glad that's over with," Will sighed, finally pulling off the Spring Bonnie head, breathing in the now cooler air. "Tell me about it," Henry mumbled as he took off the Fredbear mask, flipping the lights off in the dining area. Thankfully, they had long since planned it out to have Sunday as a day of rest. Today, however, had left quite the mess behind; bits of food on the carpet areas, confetti and who knows what else had been dropped periodically in the afternoon._

_"I am not looking forward to cleaning this mess," Henry muttered as he looked around the messy dining area. "I swear the parents let their kids run around like that on purpose." Will snorted softly at Henry's mutters, finding it adorable how the other would mutter incoherently half the time. His cheeks suddenly became dusted with pink and he hastily looked away, as if embarrassed by something._

_He was married, for christ's sake!_

_"We can worry about that tomorrow," Will assured him as they entered the small office-like room that had been set up, mostly for storing the costumes and other odds and ends. There were even a small set of lockers lining one wall. It didn't take the two long to strip the costume parts down, storing them and changing back into their normal clothes; feeling a bit relieved by the fact that they felt lighter, even if there was still a layer of grime and sweat._

_Unknown to the two men, as they changed and went about closing shop for the night, they were being watched by some rather unsavory folks. The odd thing was, there was not a soul to be seen, but Will, he felt a chill going down his spine as he could have sworn that he was being watched by someone. Alas, he could not see nor hear a thing, all he knew, was that Henry was busy closing down the main area._

_Oooh..._  
_He didn't feel so good all of a sudden._

_Will grimaced, as he unconsciously flexed his fingers, feeling his hands shake ever so slightly; the nerves trembling beneath his now paling and clammy skin. His stomach churned relentlessly as nausea flooded his senses, and his vision flickered momentarily; the edges darkening just enough to be noticeable. Oh hells bells, could he be coming down with something...?_

_He hoped not._

_Realizing that he was still in the office, William gradually got to his feet, his knees quivering as if threatening to give out on him. Perhaps a glass of cold water could help him out? Well, if he could make it to the kitchen, that is. As he slowly made his way from the office to the kitchen, the sensations of being watched was growing stronger with each passing moment, it was unsettling, to say the least._

_Will was about halfway to the kitchen when Henry was coming back. The older male felt a spark of concern when he saw just how pale Will had gotten the last few moments, for Will was dangerously pale, and yet his face looked quite feverish at the same time. Suddenly, Will's teal eyes rolled back and he collapsed; landing with a soft groan._

_However, from behind the now downed man, Henry could barely make out the silhouette of someone who shouldn't be there. Before he could get a closer look, Henry was taken back as a wave of euphoria washed over him and he found himself relaxing. He could hear a soft voice whispering in his muffled ears, a voice that told him that William had already gone ahead and left for the day; leaving behind a faint sense of annoyance._

_Grumbling to himself, Henry absentmindedly turned around so that he could leave. He told himself that he would talk to Will tomorrow about leaving him hanging like this. Too bad, though; too bad that Henry had walked right into a trap. Just how_ they _wanted..._

(...)

_Hard gray eyes watched as the co-owner of Fredbear's Diner walked off, the Imperius and Obliviate having worked perfectly. He had been given a simple job by his employer, to acquire and bring back one William Jack Afton. Once the lights turned off, he stilled as he listened to the hum of an engine and he knew that Henry Emily had finally left the building, leaving him alone with his prize._

_Once the sounds of the engine died away, he looked down at the unconscious man and sighed. William Afton looked like your regular everyday man, taller than what he had expected. "Dunno what the hell ya did to get the attention of someone like that," He mused as he shook his head._

_Thankfully, there wasn't a way for anyone who wasn't in the know, to see this. He casually flicked his wrist, and within moments, Afton's body gently lifted into the air. The man was quiet pleased as he calmly made his way to his car, though, should he be a bit worried about how easy this was going for him? He stopped, pausing in thought before shrugging. Ah, who cares! So long as his client had the gold, he could care less what happened to the target._

_However, as the man made his way to his own vehicle, he failed to see the eyes watching him from the shadows, peering curiously around a pile of boxes. The owner's eyes widen at the sight of the floating man, and paled as they recognized the man as the co-owner of Fredbear's Diner, Mr. Afton. But who was the man with him? It certainly wasn't Mr. Emily._

_Oh...oh no!_

_Where was that man taking Mr. Afton?!_

.-.-.-.

_Two hours later, he pulled up to an inconspicuous building just a mile outside the town's outskirts, switching the engine off as he got out. The building was that of a classic cottage-style home with a spacious yard and with the beginnings of what would one day be a thick forest that rested at the edge of the land. There was not a house for miles, nor a car could be heard. This was actually rather a perfect opportunity for his client._

_No nosy bodies to deal with~_

_Snorting at that, he then opened the back and with another flick of the wrist, gently guided the still unconscious man out as he calmly strode towards the front; Afton still floating behind. As he climbed up the stairs, he couldn't help but shiver as the feeling of being watched struck him. Frowning, he shook it off and focused on his goal; being paid. Just as he reached the door, it suddenly opened on its own. That was a bit unsettling, he would have thought otherwise before remembering that his client was in fact a scientist. So, the most logical conclusion would be mechanical and not that in nature._

_How wrong he was..._

_Cancelling his earlier actions, he took Afton into his arms. Despite his height, William Afton was surprisingly light. It was only by some divine miracle, that he remained unconscious this entire time, though he was pale and somewhat cold to the touch. Again, not his problem..._

_"I do hope that things weren't too difficult," Mused the soft, yet smooth voice of an older gentleman; as he walked into what could only be the foyer. "Were they, Mr. 'Smith'?" He inwardly grimaced at the usage of such a plebian name, but looked up as a light suddenly came on; flooding the little area in a soft, warm light. There, leaning against the entryway that led to the living room, was Smith's current client; Dr. Phineas Taggart._

_It wasn't well known, but Taggart was a robotics scientist himself. He was quite clever, with a polite persona. Only, there was something about the man that left an unsettling presence to those around him. The man was of an older age with neatly trimmed gray hair, lightly tanned skin and hard pale blue eyes. He wore a long white coat over his gray shirt and brown slacks._

_Phineas adjusted his frames as he looked upon his prize with great interest. "No," Smith admitted as Taggart stepped back, allowing the darker haired male to walk by; carefully laying Afton down on a couch. "It was surprisingly easy," He murmured, catching Taggart's attention, who hummed softly. The scientist then knelt down by Afton's side, brushing a damp auburn lock back, before withdrawing a polished eleven inch stick hand carved from what appeared to be Cedar._

_Hold on a moment!_  
_...Taggart was a wizard?_

_Taggart waved his wand in a series of complicated motions, muttering softly as he silently moved about. Within moments, a scroll of parchment popped into existence, and he absentmindedly reached out and took it. Smith was feeling a bit uneasy as the man unfurled the parchment, reading it to himself, before an eyebrow was shot up in disbelief._

_"He's a wizard himself," Taggart breathed. "But someone has sealed off his magic." Smith tensed, his head snapping up with a narrowed gaze. That, that was not good. As cruel as he was, sealing off one's magic left even him ill; truly, not even the darkest of wizards would dare commit such a horrific crime. "How long ago?" He asked quietly as Taggart made a noise of discomfort. "As early childhood," Taggart frowned, before giving a soft tsk as he shook his head._

_"It's a miracle that he never became an Obscurial."_

_To be an Obscurial was truly a sad fate. It only happened when a magical child suppressed their magic to the point where it would turn inward, thus becoming a parasitic force. A force so strong that it would violently rip apart anyone who dared to harm its host. And by the time anyone could help, the child would be too far gone and always, **always** were put down for their safety._

_"Then, why didn't he?" Smith asked quietly as he looked at the seemingly innocent looking man, his interest now peaked by the revelation. Scanning the parchment further, Taggart looked surprised by something, before looking back to his prize with more interest. "Someone certainly didn't want him anywhere near magic," He mused. "There's an old potion bound to his blood," The man continued with a soft murmur. "And a magic leech?" Smith stiffened, turning an eerily blank look to Afton; wondering how the hell the man even functioned with so little and having so much being taken. After awhile, Taggart straightened himself up as he calmly pocketed the scroll._

_His back was against Smith, and unknown to the other man, there was a slight, if not cruel, smile gracing Taggart's lips. "Smith," He began, his voice light and airy. "Your services are no longer required." Smith straightened up, glaring at the scientist as he fought back the urge to curse the guy; knowing that doing so would only get MACUSA on his ass. "We had a deal, Taggart," Smith growled as the man reached into his pocket and withdrew a syringe that was filled with an eerily blue liquid._

_"You really are that naive, aren't you?"_  
_...what was that supposed to mean?_

_Before Smith could withdraw his own wand, he felt a sudden and sharp pain coming from his chest, which caused him to stagger forward as a warm liquid began to trickle from his partially opened mouth. Confused, he managed to look down, staring numbly at the sight, as if unable to handle what he was seeing at the moment._

_For you see, having pushed all the way through his chest, was a metallic arm, stained with blood. Blinking owlishly, his eyes traveled down the blood soaked limb, seeing a still beating heart in the stained fingers. It took only but a moment, before the light faded from his eyes and he slumped just a bit. Taggart didn't even have to turn his head, knowing what had happened._

_"You Mr. Afton," Phineas mused as he knelt down once more, gently rolling back the man's right sleeve; exposing somewhat pale flesh. "Are definitely what we've been looking for." He was practically giddy as he heard his creation from behind remove the unwanted pest. He would deal with the mess at a later date, right now he had a little prize to claim._

_He tapped the syringe, making sure to knock out any bubbles, before gently tapping the man's arm as he felt for a vein. It didn't even take him a moment, to find one and pressed the needle to said vein. There was a slight hiss, and a sharp draw of breath from the unconscious man as the contents were carefully inserted and spread through his body. A second dose would be required, but not for awhile._

_Oh no._  
_In fact, Phineas_ wanted _the man to remain aware._

_Being aware made everything more fun._

(...)

_Hmmm..._  
...where am I?

_William groaned softly, feeling himself coming around after who knows how long. Despite the terrible aches, his body felt like lead; his throat decidedly dry and nausea was churning his stomach like mad. His head felt like someone was taking a jackhammer and hammering away, and there was still a bit of darkness seeping at the edge of his vision._

_Wait a minute - !_

...why can't I move?!

_Will felt his heart stutter as he realized with growing fear, that he could not move. It was as if someone had injected him with a mind numbing iciness, unable to move. His fear only rose when he realized that he could feel smooth, cold metal beneath him and his cheeks surprisingly turned red as he found that he had at least been stripped of his shirt._

_Suddenly, a light came on, nearly blinding the poor man with how bright it was. To his eternal confusion, Will found himself in an entirely sterilized room composed of cold metal and oddly enough, pure white marble. The room, from what little he could see, was sparse. There were mostly counters going around the room, lined with vials, medical equipment, just to name a few._

_Oh hell._  
_He knew where he was._

_"You're finally awake, I see."_

...who the hell is that?

_Will was startled when a shadow of a man loomed over him, momentarily blocking the light. He was surprised -- but should he really be all that surprised by this? -- to find a much older man looking down at him with bemused pale blue irises. His fears were confirmed by the man's lab coat and lack of empathy; the man was indeed a scientist and he, William Afton, was in a damn lab._

_"William Afton, I do believe?"_

_Will's eyes widened slightly, but that was all that was needed. The man's eyes glittered as the corner of his lips seemed to harden just a bit. "You are a hard man to acquire, Mr. Afton," The man pointed out, his tone somewhat dry. Will felt a chill going down his spine, uneasy by the man's words. It was a bit confusing though. He couldn't recall who this man was, but there was something off about him; something that left him feeling ill._

_"My name, Mr. Afton," The man continued as he turned away and went up to a counter. "is Phineas Taggart." Hold on a moment, Will thought the name sounded familiar; almost as if he had heard it before. But where had he heard the name...? From the corner of his eye, Will saw Taggart reach for a vial full of who knows what as well as an empty syringe, and swallowed thickly as the man inserted the needle into the vial; slowly drawing the contents into it._

_Oh...now he remembered._

_Phineas Taggart had once been a well known and highly respected robotician. His work had been the leading giant in medical technology, but somewhere along the lines, he had lost sight of what was meaningful. If Will recalled correctly, the man had lost his licence, which effectively ended his once promising career. And hadn't there been something in the news about the man's family...?_

_"It's no hard feelings, of course," Taggart continued as he knocked the air bubbles from the syringe, before turning to a very uneasy Will. The lights suddenly flickered, dimming for a moment and for the barest of moments, there was a second image that overlapped Afton's. The image of a golden rabbit with purple eyes...how odd. With a blink, the image was gone and Taggart was left wondering if he had been awake a bit too long as he was questioning himself._

_It didn't matter in the end._  
_Afton would do as he was told._

_Regardless of the consequences._

_Will's heart was fluttering madly as his eyes locked onto the now dripping syringe, his fear was threatening to overwhelm him as the man slowly approached him. When out of nowhere, the man stopped in mid-stride, a brief look of annoyance crossed his face, before he settled on an impassive gaze. "Must you be so difficult?" He groused with a huff._

_...what?_

_PAIN!_

_If not for the paralyzing effect, Will would have done more than gasp as an immense pain suddenly washed over him; searing away at his very nerves. It felt like he was being stabbed by thousands of white hot knives, and having boiling lava flowing through his blood and being ripped apart molecule by molecule. The pain was nothing like he had experienced, not even Jack and Sarah had caused him this kind of pain._

_Thankfully, the pain had only lasted for a moment, but it was enough to leave him panting; exhaustion clinging to his form, his lungs practically screaming for air as he laid there. His muscles were trembling with severity, and his thoughts were being muddled from the hazy fog that was now slowly making its way through his mind._

_"Are you going to listen, now?" Taggart's voice was cold. Tears pricked at his eyes, and the barest of whimpers escaped. Humming softly, the man approached him once more, and tapped the crook of Will's left arm, finding a vein within minutes. Will inwardly winced as the needle was pressed to the skin, his discomfort showing visibly as the contents were slowly injected into him._

**Mgah'n'ghft ahh much ymg' kadishtu...Phineas.**

_The pain, while still there, was abruptly amplified tenfold as the burning heat from before was suddenly an icy chill so cold that he could feel it sinking into his very soul. His vision was flickering ominously, and he could feel the temptations of Morpheus' Realm beckoning so sweetly._

_...eh?_

_Beginning to slip, Will felt himself being turned over onto his side, his limbs weakened by everything; leaving him truly helpless to his soon-to-be horrific fate. To be honest, he couldn't even work up the energy to so much as protest; all he wanted to do was sleep. And that was when he felt it, the sharp prick of a blade slicing deeply into tender flesh._

**Need bthnknahor?**

_That was the last thing he would hear for some time..._

**Yarr up~**

(...)

_Phineas was silent as he sliced the back of Afton's neck, his pale blue eyes glittering as he worked around the growing mess. Snorting, he reached over to the sterilized tray and plucked a nearly invisible looking black chip with a pair of thin tongues, holding it up to the light with a cruel smile._

_"Issss that the chip?"_

_Humming softly, the chip gleamed under the artificial light; an eerie shimmer to the cold black metal was reflected back. "Yes," Taggart said quietly. "With this, William Afton will be more susceptible to your words." There came a low hiss of a laugh, as the owner spoke with a decidedly low tone. "Do remember our little deal, Phineasss," They hissed, displeasure coating their words. "Sssshould anything happen," They continued. "You will be the one to pay the price."_

_Way to lay the pressure down, why don't ya?_

_For a moment, there was nothing, but then the lights flickered ominously. Phineas did not relax, even though he knew that he was alone in his lab. He did not have much time left before the paralyzing agent wore off, and so, Taggart went to work at getting the chip into the man; a chip that would work its way through Afton's nervous system. Taggart was lost in his own thoughts as he absentmindedly got the chip into Afton's neck and was in the process of stitching the man back up when the lights flickered once more. This time, however, he looked up with an inquiring gaze, frowning inwardly. When was the last time he paid the electric bill anyway...?_

_Shrugging it off, he finished the stitches, annoyed that it had taken more than eighty to fully sew the man back up. Oh, why must his work always end in such a mess? Ignoring Afton, Taggart got back up and was in the process of cleaning up the blood when the lights flickered again, dimming considerably. The older male froze in place as soft, dark laughter whispered in his ears; a voice that was so cold, that it left a chill down his spine._

_A laugh that was oh so near..._

_He was snapped out from his uneasy thoughts as a hand suddenly lashed out and grabbed his left wrist; the grip iron tight to the point of bruising. Feeling the bones beginning to creak, Phineas winced as the laugh deepened and a low, silky voice spoke; one that was familiar, and yet, unknown at the same time. It was as if two people were speaking as one, a fact that should be impossible._

**"Nog hai, phineas."**

_Taggart seemed to pale as his eyes widened. The language was unknown, a heavily spoken one with guttural clicks and hisses. It left him feeling nauseous as his head began to ache. There was something that was bugging the scientist, he was the only one who was aware inside the lab, as he knew that he had never given his creation a voice. Then who could...unless...?_

_Shit._

**"Ahh l' surprised?"**

_Without warning, the pressure over his wrist suddenly vanished, causing Taggart to stagger back in shock. Shaking his head as if to clear away the fog, Taggart grimaced as he rubbed at his aching wrist; this was sure to bruise by morning, if not in a few hours. How the fuck did Afton resist the drugs given earlier? That was enough sedatives to knock a damn elephant out!_

**"Llll scientist, ymg' really ah stupid,"** _The voice cackled, their words breaking slightly with a brief burst of white noise. Still holding his wrist, Taggart looked around wildly for the source, but could not see a single soul. As if realizing something, he looked back to the surgical table, only to stare in utter disbelief at the sight. Save for the shallow pool of blood, there was no sign of Afton's body._

_What the hell - ?_

_A soft, dark laugh echoed through the room and Taggart had to fight back a cringe. The sound of pure madness clung to the cackling laughter, a tone that spoke of sheer rage; rage that was being directed to one source...himself._

_"Where are you at, Afton?" He snapped, his voice quivered, but only for a moment. However, it was enough to draw the attention of the presence. His eyes were darting about nervously, before a hand suddenly grasped him by the shoulder and he was forcibly turned around to meet the intruder. Instead, his pale blue eyes met the glowing purple ones of one William Afton._

_Wait a minute --_  
_...purple eyes?_

**"L' much llll intelligence,"** _Afton mocked, his lips becoming a twisted smile that threatened to split his face. There was a dangerous gleam to his unnatural eyes, and his smile spoke of a hidden cruel nature. Taggart took a step back, alarmed when Afton’s left arm seemed to twitch; before recalling that the man was no better than a filthy no-maj. Afton's smile, if it were even possible, merely grew wider as his eyes glowed softly._

**"You really are pathetic,"** _Afton cackled, his words now coming out in perfect English, although there was a hint of an accent, one that Taggart couldn't quite put a finger on. Afton jerked his hand, and that was when Phineas Taggart felt it, a sharp pain coming from his stomach. A pain that was soon accompanied by his shirt becoming soaked with some form of substance._

_What...?_

_Blinking owlishly, Phineas looked down, as if unable to comprehend what he was seeing. There, embedded deep in his stomach, was the black handle of a rather large knife._ **"Ymg' shuggothh ah syha'h ahehyee,"** _Afton's voice was soft spoken, the words coming out in that odd language once more._ **"Ahlloig cahf ymg' ahor c' wgah'n."**

_Afton tilted his head._

**"Y''ll play ymg' little game."**  
**...for now.**

**"Your services are no longer required, Phineas Taggart."**

_Phineas drew in a sharp gasp as the knife became twisted in his gut, fresh blood spilling from his mouth as he choked. Afton had not only dug the knife in even deeper, he had turned it like a handle before lifting it upwards with a cackle. The last thing Phineas Aaron Taggart saw was Afton's purple eyes and wide, maniacal, toothy smile, but then, his mind sank fully into darkness._

_And he knew, no more..._

(...)

**Finally, he's dead.**

_Purple eyes dimmed as Afton stared down at the now lifeless body, his gaze impassive as blood began to pool underneath. There, clenched tightly in his left hand, was a blood soaked knife, still dripping with blood. After awhile, Afton sighed as he pinched his nose tiredly, a bit annoyed by everything._

_Humans…_  
_Such a bothersome mess they were._

_Snorting softly, he dropped the knife onto the corpse and turned away as he went to a nearby sink, calmly washing away the blood. He leaned over the sink, frowning deeply as he caught sight of his reflection, noting the dark lines around his purple eyes and the blood that continued to trail down his neck._

**Well William?**

_His eyes flashed a soft teal, but only for a moment. Shaking his head, Afton turned his head to the doorway and smiled. Now it was time to get out of this dump. He quietly made his way from the lab, not surprised that it had been set up in the basement, walking up the stairs to the main living area. Afton did, however, raise an eyebrow at the sight of the blood covering the foyer._

**What will you do now...?**

.-.-.-.  
**June 23, 1980**

*SLAP*

_Will staggered back, startled by what had just happened; a shaky hand over his right cheek as he stared at his wife, as if shocked. Granted, they had been having their problems, but should he be surprised by this? His heart seemed heavy as he inwardly sighed. No, he wasn't surprised that she was resorting to physical violence; her temper had been steadily getting worse and it was only a matter of time before she exploded._

_...like now, for instance._

_"What was that for?" He asked quietly, his teal eyes darkening slightly. He winced as his cheek burned, wondering how the hell she was able to deliver that kind of blow with how slight she was; for he could already feel his cheek bruising. "You!" Dana snapped. "You're my problem, you little toad!" For a moment, there was nothing as he stared blankly at her._

_Then, his left eye flashed purple as his arm lowered and he straightened in place. And, as he loomed over her, Dana had a sinking feeling that perhaps, this was a step too far. The dark haired woman had almost forgotten how tall Will was, as the man usually slouched in place. But now, he was practically towering over her, his left eye kept flashing purple, though his right eye was still a teal, but it was darker; hollow, almost._

_"We'll talk about this later, Dana," William's voice was decidedly flat. She frowned, fuming as he turned away and quietly made his way into the kitchen. It had been a long day, even longer as he had stayed behind to clean the place up when Henry had gone home earlier that evening; apparently Charlie had come down with a nasty cold and Will had waved him off with a soft encouragement to leave early. It was only as he bypassed the living room clock, that he noticed the time; it was around one in the morning._

_No wonder she was pissed._  
_That didn't matter right now._

**...ymg' ah sure yog cahf ehye, William?**

_He showed no reaction as he quietly entered the kitchen and went up to the sink. Silent as ever, he had been reaching into the cupboard for a glass, when he suddenly tensed. As if by a silent command, his head turned slightly, his single purple eye flashing wickedly as he met the darkening blue eyes of his wife, who was looking angrier and angrier._

She wouldn't dare...  
...would she?

_William turned his head back to the sink and was in the process of pouring a cold glass of water when it finally happened. Unknown to Will, her eyes had darkened to the point where they could be mistaken for being black; there was not a light, but true hatred as she glared at her ever silent husband. No more would she deal with his apathy, Dana had enough of the man and those spoiled brats. Tonight, she would be free._

**...you might want to duck...**

_WHAT?!_

_He had just taken a sip when the glass suddenly fell from his hand, shattering the moment it came into contact with the ground. Will's eyes had widened slightly as there came an all too familiar sharp pain to his left shoulder. He gritted his teeth as he drew in a sharp breath, bending over as the object was driven in even deeper._

_Then, without warning, Will's eyes flashed before turning a dull purple as he suddenly reared back, his right arm coming up and slamming into Dana's face. The woman was knocked back hard from the sudden blow, and as she fell, her head hit the island behind her, and she collapsed into a boneless heap. Will was leaning against the sink, breathing heavily as his eyes slowly returned to their natural teal hue._

_Wincing as his shoulder was beginning to burn, Will reached back with his right hand to feel for what had been done, only to freeze as his hand brushed against something wet. Hells bells, he needed to get the kids out of here before that_ **bitch** _woke up again. Breathing deeply, William stepped over her and hastily made his way upstairs to his oldest boy's, Michael, room._

_Reaching the second floor, Will groaned as his vision blurred for a moment, and he felt a sudden drop of temperature; oh, not good. Shaking it off, he went down the hall and up to Michael's room, noting that the door was closed. Thankfully, for William that is, the door was unlocked, allowing him access._

_Michael's room was fairly comfortable for a growing boy; a cozy twin bed with a bookshelf or two, a desk complete with a comfortable chair and a decent sized closet. He had various posters up along his walls, mostly of sports, race cars and there was even a band poster or two, a soccer ball in one corner and a skateboard that was partially tucked under his bed._

_Will felt a sense of relief when he found Michael curled up under his blankets, sleeping peacefully. Though, he frowned when he found the fading bruise on his boy's cheek; making a silent note to talk to Michael about that later. Sighing, he hated having to do this, but it was best that they got out while they still could. "Mikey," Will whispered softly, and reached out with his left hand, biting down on his lip as his shoulder flared with heat._

_"Mikey, I need you to wake up."_

_It took a moment or two, before the young boy groaned softly, stirring as he was gently aroused from a rather peaceful sleep for once. His eyes fluttered, before opening, revealing the same blue eyes of his mother. Mikey blinked sleepily, rubbing at his eyes. "Dad...?" He yawned, before sitting up. "What's going on...?" He slurred, still somewhere between the dream world and reality._

_"Mikey," His father's voice was soft, but firm. "I need you to do something very important for me, alright?" Still yawning, Mikey nodded tiredly as he struggled to focus on his father. It wasn't until he got a good look at his father's face, that Mikey finally realized that something wasn't right. His dad looked a bit pale, dark circles hanging around his eyes, and his breathing didn’t sound so good to the eleven-year-old._

_"What is it?" Mikey straightened up, feeling the sleep leaving him as fear began to creep its way through instead. "I need you to gather a few clothes and then get your sister," His dad gave a weak, tired smile. "While I get your brother, can you do that for me?" His heart pounding, Mikey nodded as he got to his feet, but his eyes never left his dad, even as he dumped his books from his bag._

_What was going on here?_

(...)

**You aren't going to last.**  
**...you do realize that, right?**

_Oh great, he was hearing voices again._

_Dizziness washed over him, and Will hastily reached out to steady himself, breathing heavily as his vision swarmed once more. He could do this, he had to do this. Fighting back the growing nausea, Will straightened himself back up as he approached his youngest son's room. He carefully and quietly turned the knob, opening the room. Somehow, he wasn't surprised to see the tiny toddler sitting up in bed, watching with his big blue eyes._

_"You know what's going on," Will said with a sad smile as he approached the bed. The toddler seemed to smile as he tilted his head, before he raised his arms in the universal motion of wanting to be picked up. "I shouldn't be surprised by this," Will whispered as he gently picked his little boy up. "Should I?" The toddler giggled and nuzzled him lovingly with a sweet sigh._

__

__

_Right..._

**..and where, may I ask, do you think you're going?**  
...anywhere but here...

_Adjusting his hold over Finn, Will poked his head out, listening very carefully for any signs of trouble. He could tell that Mikey was in Elizabeth's room, judging from the whispers coming from her room. Frowning, he inched out of Finn’s room and towards the banister, straining his hearing. He did not relax, even for a moment, as Dana could regain consciousness at any minute._

_"Dad?"_

_Will turned his head, just in time to see Mikey coming out of Elizabeth's room, with the little girl in question. Mikey's backpack was slung over one shoulder as he held his sleepy sister's hand, looking back with wide, yet nervous eyes. He also had another, if smaller, bag in his other hand; obviously Elizabeth's, with the bright colors splashed about._

_The little girl was protesting a bit as she had been dragged out from a good dream, but her annoyance with her brother melted away the moment she saw her daddy. Daddy looked upset about something, his eyes constantly darting about in a nervous way, and he was getting paler by the minute. Something wasn't right to the little redhead, and she felt a spark of fear as he gently urged them downstairs; his eyes still darting about._

_"Where's mom?" Mikey whispered, nervous by his father's growing agitation. Will tensed, before wincing as his shoulder ached in return. "She's not coming," He said quietly, though his voice was eerily blank; much to Mikey's unease. The young boy, despite his age, wasn't stupid. He knew his parents had been having some issues with one another, but had something gone on in between them today...?_

_It was mighty lucky that they were able to make their way back downstairs and towards the front without much trouble. Perhaps there was an angel of some sorts looking after the little family. Well, whatever it was, Will wasn't taking things for granted as he opened the door and ushered his kids outside. Thankfully, it was still quite warm outside, so he didn't have to worry about them getting cold._

_Mikey helped his dad out by getting Elizabeth into her car seat as his dad got Finny into his; reassuring the toddler with soft, gentle words. His little brother was teary-eyed, looking upset by something. It was almost as if he could sense the source of their father's unease. Mikey also made sure that his and Lizzy's bags were within reach, before getting into his own seat._

_Just what was going on?_  
_And more importantly..._

_Where was their dad taking them too?_

_Outside, Will could feel his body weakening and knew that he was running out of time. He needed to get his kids out of here. He was about to open the driver's door, when he froze, barely able to pick up the faint rustling coming from the house. There was no way she could have woken up by now...had she?_

**...you just jinxed yourself...**

_His heart racing, Will opened the door and was about to climb in when he jerked forward; his left shoulder suddenly shattering from something that he could not see nor hear. Though, he did hear Dana curse and rather colorfully at that, followed by the click of a -- oh no -- gun. Will turned white as he looked back, eyes widening in shocked horror when he saw that Dana was holding a freaking gun._

Where'd she get that thing?!

_Realizing that the gun had jammed, Will took this chance to escape. He scrambled to get into the car, inserting the keys in and turning it on. Almost immediately, the engine roared to life and they were speeding away, Dana soon-to-be Schmidt, was screaming and cursing up a storm._

_They were free now._  
_...weren't they?_

**I wouldn't be so sure about that William.**

.-.-.-.

_It wasn't until they were about a block away, when Mikey finally spoke up. "Dad,” His voice was quiet, but weak from shock. "What happened?" He blinked back his tears. "And why'd mom go crazy like that?" William grimaced, unable to say much as even he wasn't sure why Dana had finally chosen tonight, of all nights, to snap. "I don't know," William whispered. "I honestly don't know," He grimaced as his shoulder flared again, feeling his temperature drop sharply; his muscles beginning to tremble._

_"W-Where are w-we going?" Mikey stammered as he kept looking at his dad, worried sick as the man was getting paler and paler; hands trembling as they held onto the steering wheel for dear life. "A-A f-f-friend of m-mine," Will managed to get out. "Y-You'll l-like h-h-him," He gave a weak, tired smile as his son looked a bit skeptical. And well, William couldn't blame him for that._

_An awkward silence fell over them, as Will struggled to focus on the road, for darkness was bleeding into the corners. And the sweet temptation of Morpheus' Realm was beckoning him softly. No, he couldn't fall asleep, not here..._

_They had gone about another block or two, before William turned to the left and down a road to where a neighborhood laid in wait. It was another ten minutes of painful silence, when Will pulled into the driveway of one particular house that was to their left. Mikey peered out the window, squinting as he looked up at the two-story building and wondered why they were there._

_Breathing slowly, Will tiredly turned the engine off; his body aching in ways that shouldn't be possible. "Mikey," Will wheezed, his lungs were practically screaming for air as he could feel his body threatening to give into the darkness. "I need...I need you t-to go up t-to th-that door...and ask fo-for a-a-a Henry...Emily..." Mikey's heart was racing as the realization was beginning to dawn on him._

_"C-Can y-y-you d-do th-that f-for me...?"_

_Mikey's heart froze when his dad suddenly groaned and finally, the man slumped over the wheel. "What's wong with daddy?" Elizabeth cried, she was still having a bit of trouble with her 'r', something that should probably be corrected before entering school. Bah, that didn't matter right now, helping his dad did._

_"Dad?" Mikey whispered, before undoing his belt and reached out for his father. The man groaned, but otherwise than that, he didn't move. However, as Mikey's hand brushed against his father's back, he froze as he felt something wet. "Lizzy?" Michael's voice was soft, as he swallowed thickly. "Think you can keep Finn calm while I see about this Henry guy?"_

_The little red haired girl looked nervous, but nodded. "Okay," She said quietly as she looked to her distressed brother, who was beginning to cry softly. "Will daddy be okay, Mikey?" Lizzy asked quietly as Michael felt ill. "Dad's a strong guy, Lizzy," He whispered. "He's gonna make it."_

...he has to...

_Michael's eyes hardened with determination when a pained moan left his father, and he looked to the house once more and sighed. He reached out and opened the door, but left it partially opened as the windows weren't exactly down at the moment. His legs shook as he slowly made his way up the driveway and to the door, absentmindedly noting the black 7, that was imprinted in the door frame._

Here goes nothing...

(...)

KNOCK*KNOCK

_Charlotte 'Charlie' Emily groaned as a persistent knocking aroused her from her sleep. Since she had been ill -- why did she have to get a cold in the summer? -- her dad had allowed her to sleep on the living room couch; which was more comfortable then her own bed. She sat up on the couch, rubbing at her eyes sleepily as she looked over to the front door. Who could that be at this hour...?_

_The knocking was rapidly becoming more frantic, and as Charlie approached the door, the sleep fell from her gaze as she realized that she could hear the soft, if frantic murmurs, of someone young. Now nervous as the pleas grew louder, Charlie hastily opened the door and was startled to find a boy about her age, standing there with tousled dark hair and frightened blue eyes._

_Michael was taken back by the sight of a girl his age with messy brown hair and wide brown eyes, standing in the doorway. "C-Can I help you?" The girl asked, her eyes scanning him carefully before zeroing in on his hands with a soft gasp. "Where are you bleeding?" Michael blinked owlishly at that. Bleeding? What was she talking about?_

_Confused by her ominous words, Michael felt bile rise up as he slowly looked down at his hands, stunned to find them coated with a dark red substance. He now knew why the girl had been so shocked, his hands were covered in fresh blood; but the blood wasn't his. Then, did that mean that it was..._

_Oh no..._

_"Dad!" Michael cried as he turned back to the car with wide, horrified eyes; frightened for his dad as he ran back. Not once did he see the shocked look on her face, nor when she ran back into her house; or the fact that the front door was still left wide open. All Michael Afton could think about, was that his father was slowly, but surely bleeding out._

_Charlie had been horrified to find the boy's hands covered in blood, but as she watched his reaction; she realized that it wasn't his blood. The brunette watched as his face paled and how he cried out dad as he ran back to the strange car that she had just now noticed; realizing what was happening._

_Pale herself, Charlie backed up and sped for the stairs and up to her dad's room. "Dad!" She called, her voice frantic as she ran for his room. Thankfully, his door was wide open, making it easier to reach her father. "Dad, wake up!" Charlie pleaded as she ran up to the still slumbering man, shaking his arm frantically. It took a few moments of pleading, before her father finally stirred._

_"...Charlie?" Henry groaned as he was, quite rudely at that, woken up. Yawning, he rubbed at his eyes as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position. As his honey brown eyes fluttered and opened, he met his daughter's terrified gaze, and almost immediately, all sleep fled when he saw just how frightened she looked. "Charlie, what is it?" He asked gently as she bit her lip, now nervous. "There's a boy outside," She began, swallowing thickly._

_"His hands..." She blinked back her tears as she shook her head frantically. "They were covered in blood, but I don't think it was his." Henry stiffened, feeling his heart race; a sharp whistle was echoing in his ears as a chill went down his spine. "What else, honey?" Charlie fought back her fear as her eyes darted to his lone window. "I think his father is in trouble," She whispered._

_It couldn't be..._  
_...could it?_

_Alarmed, Henry got to his feet and peered through his window, squinting a bit as he looked around. To his shock, he found William's car out in the driveway. A sickening feeling overcame the brunette as he grabbed a jacket that he had over a chair. "Charlie, be ready to help, alright?" He called over his shoulder as she hurried after him._

(...)

_Michael's heart sank as he heard Lizzy struggling to keep Finn calm, as the toddler was wailing his little lungs out. Was it possible that his dad had worsened in just those few moments?! He was running back to the car and was able to open the driver's side, only to turn white as tears began to fall from his eyes._

_His father was still sprawled over the steering wheel, but now his shirt had turned a much darker shade, looking almost black under the dim lighting of the nearby street lamp. A dark liquid was slowly dripping down his left arm, the soft_ plip plop _would be haunting his dreams for a long time. And to his horror, he could see some form of handle sticking out of his dad's back._

_Oh gods..._

_"William!"_  
_...eh?_

_Michael looked up, surprised to see a man around his dad's age with tousled brown hair and wide, nervous honey brown eyes. Oh, he had been sleeping before, hadn't he? The man was dressed in a gray tee shirt and black shorts, hurrying towards them. Hold on a moment, was this man the one his dad was talking about -- a Henry Emily?_

_"A-Are you Mr. Em-Emily?" Michael stammered as the man was a bit taken back, but nodded; confirming Michael's suspicions. "And you're Mikey, aren't you?" The man's voice was soft and gentle, causing Michael to stare back with wide eyes. "Y-You know me?" Mikey squeaked as the man chuckled. "William was so happy when you were born," The man smiled as Mikey's cheeks pinked._

_"Charlie," Mr. Emily called and Michael saw that it was the girl from before, when he had a sudden thought. Charlie was a boy's name, wasn't it? The girl looked embarrassed as she shyly approached them. "My name's actually Charlotte," She said with a weak smile. "But I prefer Charlie."_

_Oh._

_Mr. Emily, as he approached the car, drew in a sharp breath as he spoke again. "Charlie, can you help Michael get his siblings out and inside?" Charlie looked a bit surprised, but nodded as she went up to Mikey. "And when you get inside," He continued, straining to keep his voice calm, even as his heart pounded like mad. "I need you to call for an ambulance, alright?" Charlie and Mikey both stilled, feeling their hearts freeze as they looked up with wide, horrified eyes._

_Despite their young age, they weren't stupid. To require an ambulance would mean that William was in a dangerous state; a state that would demand immediate medical attention. His eyes burning, Mikey nodded as he hurried around to the passenger side where Finn was and Charlie went around to the other side; but, the long way around as she honestly didn't want to witness what her father saw._

_Henry was relieved to see the two doing as he asked, before turning back to the gruesome sight of Will sprawled over the steering wheel, unconscious and bleeding from who knows where. He knelt down, and reached out gently to Will, pressing a set of fingers to the man's neck, praying with all of his might that William was still alive. It was a frightening few minutes for Henry, when all he received was silence, but then, he felt it._

_A faint thump._

_Oh thank heavens..._  
_He was still alive._

For now _, Henry thought uneasily as he leaned back for a better look. Will was slumped over the wheel, thankfully he was still breathing, but he was growing paler by the minute; blood steadily dripping down his left arm. Eyes traveling over, Henry drew in a sharp breath, white as snow when he found a shiny black handle embedded deep in Will's left shoulder._

_"Will?" Henry's voice was weak as Will groaned softly, his hand twitching as if hearing Henry. From the back of the car, Mikey had gotten Finn out of his carseat and was whispering soothing words as Charlie hurried with Elizabeth's, bringing the little girl to the other side where Mikey was. There was no need to traumatize the two even further with this._

_"...Hen...ry..."_

_Will's left eye fluttered, opening just enough to reveal a dull, if not darkened, teal orb. "Will, what happened?" Henry demanded, alarmed when Will groaned again, trying to move; only for the man to cry out as his shoulder flared once more. "You shouldn't move," Henry insisted as he gently pressed Will back down, feeling the man's blood coating his fingers._

_"Mi...key..."_

_"Mikey's okay," Henry reassured him as a soft whimper escaped the younger man. "He's gone inside with Charlie and his siblings." Will's glazed eye struggled to focus on him. "He's a good kid, Will," He was surprised to find a faint, tired smile that graced Will's lips. "Tha...nk...you..." Will whispered, before he started coughing, a dark red substance spurting from his lips as he wheezed noisily._

Where is that damn ambulance?!

_Who could have caused so much damage? Henry frowned as he tried to get Will to calm down. He hadn't seen this kind of damage before, not even after that day when they were teenagers. As blood continued to flow, it finally struck Henry who was behind his friend being in so much pain. How could he not when there was so much hostility between them?_

_Dana Schmidt._

.-.-.-.  
**June 23, 1991**

_Hmm..._   
_"Wake up, cousin!"_

_Ten-year-old Hadrian Potter awoke that faithful morning with a start. For you see, the room trembled from above as dust rained down on him when Dudley Dursley purposely stomped down the stairs. Rubbing at his eyes, mindful of the sudden headache, Hadrian fumbled a bit as he felt around for the lone light. It took a moment or two, but he switched it on; bathing the little area in a soft, warm glow._

_He reached over to a pile of clothes were his black coke-bottle style glasses rested, and quietly put them on; his blurry sight sharpening just enough for him to see. Sighing softly, he glared up at the ceiling as dust continued to rain down, the staircase quivering underneath Dudley's weight. Hadrian wrinkled his nose before giving a cute little sneeze._

_"We're going to the zoo, today!"_

_Why were - oh, right._

_Turning his head to the worn down calendar that Dudley had pitched, making note of the date. Ah yes, June twenty-third. How on earth could Hadrian ever forget his precious cousin's birthday? Now, normally on a day like this, Dudley would stuff himself silly, get loaded down with far too many gifts, and would spend the day someplace fun with his parents and friends; leaving Hadrian behind to spend the day with a neighbor, one Arabella Figg._

_Until today, that is._

_This year was going to be different, Hadrian was sure of it. Margaret Dursley, that is, Vernon's horrific sister, had been unable to attend Dudley's birthday this year as she had gotten a rather bad case of food poisoning. Something about a funny whelk, wasn't it? Or at least, that’s what Hadrian could recall overhearing from Vernon telling Petunia about it a week or so ago._

_Good riddance to bad rubbish. To be honest, Hadrian wasn't all that fond of Marge. She was pretty much a female version of her brother; just as overweight and surly. And funnily enough, she even had a freaking mustache like the obese man. And well, the reason why Hadrian was allowed to come this year was rather simple. Mostly it was due to the fact that there was no one available to watch him._

_Thanks to the rumors that the Dursley's had maliciously spread about him -- a deed that was now backfiring on them -- no one on the street wanted anything to do with the young boy. And unfortunately, Mrs. Fig was in no shape to look after someone as young as Hadrian, as she was recovering from a broken leg. Well, while it wasn't a nice thought, Hadrian was just glad that he didn't have to spend the day with Mrs. Figg._

_No offense, but Hadrian_ hated _going over there. Her house always reeked of old cabbage, stale food and the overwhelming stench of cat urine. And she would always, and he meant, always made him look at numerous photos of her cats; every single time. Honestly, it was a freaking miracle that her home hadn't been condemned by now._

_Shaking his head at that, Hadrian slowly changed into a short sleeved gray shirt, faded brown trousers and a blue plaid jacket; easily hiding the faded scars, before crawling out of the cupboard. But now Dudley shoved him back inside with a laugh; knocking his head against the still partially opened door. Lovely, just what he needed; a bruise on top of a headache. And from the corner of his eye, Hadrian felt like smiling._

_Tucked away in a corner, far from anyone's sight, was a familiar little plushie. It was shaped very much like a rabbit, its golden fur a comfort for the lonely soul. One ear was more floppy than the other, and big lilac eyes. It even wore a little purple vest with a matching tie. It was his most precious treasure, one that not even the Dursley's could take away._

_It had been almost four years now since he had found the plushie, and yet, it still looked as fresh as the day he found it. It was rather strange, though. Hadrian couldn't recall how he came across it. His relatives were not fond of him at all, and would_ **never** _give him a gift. And well, he didn't have any friends; so yes, it was quite the mystery on how it arrived. Still, though, he would wonder at times who had given it to him._

_Oh, right._   
_Breakfast._

_He quietly closed the door and went into the kitchen, making a silent note of the kitchen table. It was, of course, weighed down with numerous presents. Well, it looked like Dudley had gotten that bike that he wanted, which had been surprising. Dudley hated exercise of any kind, and would prefer to sit in front of the telly or a computer, watching and stuffing his face silly. In fact, the only form of exercise that Dudley ever got, was when he would play a round of 'Harry Hunting'._

_Hadrian positively hated that game._

_What it involved was rather simple. Dudley and his group of budding psychos would track Hadrian down and chase him all over the bloody place. And if Hadrian was fast enough, he could escape with little to no pain. However, if he wasn't, then Dudley and his gang got to beat Hadrian within an inch of his life. If Hadrian could, he would leave Privet Drive for good and never look back._

_If only..._

_Hadrian had noticed something as he grew older, especially since his bout of illness three years prior; it was getting harder and harder for him to even leave the house, much less the street. Any time Hadrian tried to leave the street, a tingle would build up in his legs, growing more and more painful the longer he was away. There would even be times where he would get a horrible headache; and his already terrible eyesight would blur to dangerous levels. And yet, the pain would leave the moment he was back onto Privet Drive._

_Wanna know the strangest part of this?_   
_It only happened during the summer._

_Uh-oh._

_Eyes widening slightly, Hadrian hurried up to the stove and readjusted the heat as he lifted the pan, flipping the contents with expertise. It was a good thing that he had gone in the kitchen when he did. For you see, Petunia had nearly ruined the batch of bacon. You would think that at her age, Petunia Dursley would know how to cook properly._

_Apparently not._

_Hadrian inwardly sighed, but was relieved nonetheless that he was able to save the current batch. It would be a little crisper than usual, but it was at least still edible. He was quiet as he fried up the rest, carefully scooping it out and onto an already prepared plate. Hopefully, he could sneak some food in later, as of right now, the time wasn't right. And as he scooped the last strip onto the plate, Dudley finally ran into the kitchen._

_Well, more like wobbled._

_The chubby blond was busy counting up his presents, his face scrunching up as he struggled with his numbers. Now, this was something that Hadrian couldn't blame his cousin for. Dudley wasn't exactly the brightest bulb, as Hadrian had the strangest feeling that there was something going on upstairs. If only Vernon and Petunia weren't so stubborn and actually cared about their son, they would have ensured that Dudley would have a better time in school._

_Sheesh._

_"Comb your hair!" Vernon barked as he stumbled into the kitchen, dressed in some of his best. Although, his best was still straining against his girth; chin wobbling as he snapped, sitting down at his usual chair. His chair sagged a bit, and yet, still held itself. Yeah, not happening pal. That was the problem, Hadrian's hair simply grew all over the place; thick, bouncy dark curls._

_Hearing the soft whir of the coffee pot, Hadrian silently poured Vernon cup before handing it over. The man grunted, but took the cup nonetheless. Finally done counting up the massive pile of presents, Dudley scowled, his beady eyes narrowing. "That's thirty-six," His voice was beginning to rise. "That's two less than last year!" His hands clenched tightly as he edged back from the table, watery blue eyes seemingly tearing up._

_Oh hell no._   
_Not another freaking tantrum._

_"Poppy," Petunia said nervously, sensing the same thing that Hadrian could. "You didn't see the big one down here," She gestured to a large, wrapped gift that was propped by the table. "So, I'll have thirty -" His face scrunched up even more as he grew frustrated. "Thirty-seven, sweetie," She said with a nervous smile. His eyes were tearing up even further until she wrapped her arms around him._

_"We can get two more later," Petunia cooed, her voice sickening sweet as she promised the glutton even more presents. "Won't that be nice?" Hadrian had to look away from this, feeling disgust churning his stomach. Once again, they were spoiling Dudley even further. Yeesh, Dudley was only a month older than Hadrian, and yet he kept acting like a toddler. Sadly, Hadrian knew that Dudley was forever ruined with such spoilage. Nothing good ever came from spoiling a child after all._

_And just like that, the little drama ended when the doorbell rang; announcing a new visitor. Hadrian inwardly grimaced, as he knew that without a doubt, on who the visitor was. Pier Polkiss, a 'friend' of Dudley's; and someone that Hadrian would rather avoid at all costs. Piers was a ratty looking boy in more ways than one, not to mention there was a rather pungent smell about him._

_"Oh, that must be them," Petunia breathed as she got up to answer the door. However, as she left the kitchen, Vernon suddenly turned a dark look on Hadrian. He wasn't happy that there wasn't anyone who could look after his ungrateful nephew for the day, thus forcing them to take the brat with them. "You listen here, boy," Vernon growled as he struggled to his feet and reached for the nervous._

**Nafl l' ephaiaglor, fat boy.**

_"One word, one wrong move," He grabbed Hadrian roughly by his left arm, earning a pained wince in return. However, as the boy's head lifted, Vernon was a bit taken back as a single purple eye glared at him, but then it was back to being its usual green hue. He decided that it had been a trick of the light, and shook that uneasy feeling off as he gave the boy a harsh shake._

_"You'll be in that cupboard until Christmas!"_

_Hadrian withdrew his arm, rubbing at the bruise that was sure to form. He would have liked to have reminded the jerk that he never did a thing to agitate his relatives, but when had that ever stopped Vernon from his punishments...?_

(...)

_The zoo wasn't that bad, actually._

_While slowly looking through the exhibits, Vernon and Petunia had gotten Dudley and Piers two large chocolate ice creams. But, before they could usher the boys away, the lady at the stand asked Hadrian what he wanted, and Vernon reluctantly got him a cheap lemon ice lolly; which, Hadrian found that he didn't mind. They had just entered the gorilla exhibit, and as Hadrian enjoyed his rare treat, he was finding himself bemused by one of the gorillas._

_The gorilla in question was remarkably similar to one Dudley Dursley. Only difference was that the gorilla wasn't blond. He snickered softly, quietly disposing of the stick as he reluctantly followed the Dursley's through the rest of the exhibits. It was going well, perhaps a little too well when at lunch Dudley threw another tantrum._

_Vernon went and bought Dudley and Piers a knickerbocker glory each. However, Dudley threw a fit, claiming that his did not have enough cream, forcing the man to buy another. Luckily, Hadrian was allowed to finish the rest, as Dudley had left a few spoonfuls of gelatin and of course, the fruit; which he had gotten to try for the first time. Raspberries and blackberries, if his knowledge was correct._

_It wasn't until they reached the snake exhibits, that everything went downhill. Many of the serpents were fast asleep, which Dudley and Piers weren't impressed by. Hadrian, on the other hand, was feeling too well. Ever since lunch, his stomach had been churning; his vision flickering just enough to make him a bit dizzy. He was also decidedly pale with sweat glimmering upon his brow as he breathed slowly; one small hand over his stomach._

_Something wasn't right..._

_"Make it move!" Dudley demanded hotly._   
_...eh?_

_Looking up tiredly, Hadrian blinked owlishly at the sight. They were currently in front of one of the many exhibits, and this particular one held a rather big snake; looking like it was big enough to crush Vernon's car, several times over. However, like many of the serpents here, the poor thing was fast asleep. Hadrian was surprised -- but should he really? -- when after a brief look around, Vernon pounded his fist on the thick glass. "Move you!" Vernon thundered._

_Not happening._

_The serpent was fast asleep, earning a huff in return. "This is boring," Dudley grumbled before finally turning away. Waiting patiently for them to move on, Hadrian quietly moved up to the exhibit, noting that it was a breed of boa constrictor; no wonder it was so big. He placed his forehead against the window, sighing as his headache began to recede from the coolness of the window. "Sorry about that," He said softly, his gaze understanding of the serpent's plight._

_Suddenly, the serpent rose up and gave the frail boy a wink. Hadrian was shocked as the serpent rose, meeting his gaze with keen intelligence. "Can you hear me?" He asked curiously, tilting his head. Strangely enough, the serpent nodded its head, before gesturing with a jab of the tail to the side. Hadrian followed the direction of the gesture, to where a sign rested; revealing the breed's name and that it had been bred in captivity._

_Ah._   
_That explains things._

_"Look!" Dudley squealed, from wherever he was in the building. "It's moving!" As he rushed by, Dudley elbowed Hadrian, and rather hard at that. "Out of the way, you!" He snapped back. Before Hadrian could get out of the way, he let out a pained gasp as Dudley's elbow met his stomach, sending him tumbling to the ground. And as Hadrian fell backwards, the glass window that was protecting the public from those within the exhibits, suddenly vanished; allowing the serpent freedom._

_Silence fell upon the snake exhibits as a loud, sickening crack echoed in the air. At the same time, Dudley placed his greasy hands on the glass, he fell in as the window vanished into nothingness. Now, Piers would have followed him in, if not for side glancing to where Potter was. And for the first time in his young life, Piers Polkiss saw Hadrian for who he was; a boy his own age, if not younger, laying there so lifelessly._

_Hadrian Potter was sprawled out on his back, his eyes dull as they stared blankly up at the ceiling. He was growing paler than usual, his breathing -- thankful for some miracles -- was slow, and was shivering like a leaf; visibly sweating. What was frightening, was seeing the dark red liquid that was beginning to pool underneath his head, slowly spreading out, much like a halo._

_No longer paying attention to Dudley, Piers knelt down by Potter's side, brushing a thin brown strand from his face as he looked the frail boy over. Despite the blood that was spreading -- and quite rapidly at that -- he couldn't figure out why Potter was having so much trouble breathing. He knew absolutely nothing about the tiny boy; just that he was Dudley's unwanted cousin._

_Wait a minute..._   
_What if...?_

_Piers' eyes widened as his attention was drawn to Potter's breathing, or lack of, in this case. His throat was slowly turning red as it was swelling before his very eyes, making it harder and harder for Potter to breathe. Piers knew that he wasn't all that smart, but even he could see an allergic reaction when he saw one. What was it that Potter ate that could have caused such a reaction...?_

_Oh._   
_The glory!_

_As Piers came to his conclusion, he never saw the shadowy figure watching the chaotic scene with glittering purple eyes, nor the cruel smile that graced their lips. The lights flickered ominously and one could swear that the temperature was dropping, and quite fast at that._

**Ymg''ll regret cahf ehye kid**


	7. School Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does he keep getting dragged into situations like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some blood in this chapter, and perhaps a bit of madness, hm?

**July 31, 1991**

_Magic was real..._  
_Who knew?_

_Hadrian glanced at his, er, escort, with curiosity. Rubeus Hagrid was a massive man, and not in the way one would think. Hagrid was a very tall man with broad shoulders and built like a tank; like he could break a man with ease. His dark hair was impossibly shaggy, seemingly unkempt with a matching beard, but kind dark eyes. And so far, from what little Hadrian had observed, those of magical blood showed little to no knowledge of how the real world worked._

_That, and he was apparently famous._  
_For surviving when his parents did not._

_Hadrian wasn't all that pleased when he learned the truth. Deep down, he had known that the Dursley's lied about his parents' death; they lied about everything, after all. But for a young boy to learn about his parents willing sacrifice, was a hard pill to swallow. And judging by the soft murmurs from those around him, Hadrian got the sinking feeling that many people were expecting him to live up to his late parents._

_Way to lay it on thick, people._

(...)

_Hadrian laid on the thin bed, as he stared blankly up at the ceiling; his mind lost over in what he had learned about his family. It had been an unusual trip to Diagon Alley, but there was something off about the trip, so to speak. He had a suspicion that Hagrid had been sent to retrieve him for a reason, but what that was, Hadrian wasn't positive about it...yet, anyway._

_His suspicions only rose when he was 'allowed' to take a small amount of money for his supplies, his supply list was startlingly small and Hagrid wouldn't allow him for any extra reading material. And the fact that Hagrid kept his bank key was all too damning. Someone sure as hell didn't want him to learn much, the question was; who?_

**Probably the same person who left you here.**

_Hadrian stilled at the sound of the voice; eyes widening slightly. The voice was soft and with a silky caress that sent..._ something _down his spine. It was a familiar tone and yet, he had never heard it before. He could hear Petunia moving around downstairs as Vernon was at work, and Dudley was in his room doing who knows what, so who was it that...?_

**You know who I am.**  
**...don't you Hadrian?**

.-.-.-.  
**June 4, 1992**

**_I knew it._ **

_Hadrian was silent as he entered the chamber; his eyes devoid of life. His mind was not on the chamber, but everything that had led up to this particular moment. And well, he wasn't exactly what you would call happy with this new discovery, to say the least. Especially with his so-called 'friends'._

_Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger._

_Grr..._

_Weasley was a gangly red head who was prone to severe tempers and was quite the bigot. The amount of hatred that spilled from his filthy mouth sickened Hadrian to the point of physical violence. The boy was extremely lazy, preferring food and the infamous game of Quidditch over schoolwork._

_Granger may have book smarts, but that wasn't going to get her very far in life. Unfortunately, she lacked basic manners and had almost no social skills. In her eagerness to learn, Hermione was actually preventing other students from properly answering; much to the anger of many. Yeah...no. It's probably best that she never learned about what her fellow students_ really _thought about her. Well, not until after graduation, that is._

_She also had a rather nasty habit of hitting someone with whatever book she had in hand. A fact that Hadrian could confirm, absentmindedly rubbing at his left arm, where a particularly ugly bruise rested; courtesy of a potions book. Both those idiots were positive that the one who was after the Sorcerer's Stone, was in fact, Severus Snape; Potions Master and current head of the Slytherin House._

_But Hadrian knew otherwise._  
_And he was right._

_It was Quirinus Quirrell._

_The man was standing before the Mirror of Erised, muttering softly to himself; his purple turban as eerie as ever. Hadrian wrinkled his nose, the overpowering stench of garlic greeted him once more. Then, Quirrell turned sharply, his brown eyes cold. "Potter," He said simply, and without the annoying stutter. Hadrian tilted his head, a sense of calmness washing over him as he felt a hand grip his shoulder; as if to reassure him._

_"Quirrell," Hadrian said simply._

_The man gave a cold smile, understanding flashing in his eyes. "You were never fooled, were you?" Hadrian blinked owlishly, his eyes dimming ever so slightly, looking more like tarnished glass than anything else. "No," He finally spoke. "I remember that day, back in the alley." His head lowered slightly, bangs shadowing his eyes as a sudden smile graced his lips. "Dumbledore may have tried to erase that memory, but I remember it quite well."_

_...oh?_

_"You weren't wearing a turban that day," Hadrian mused, his lips twisting into a wide, toothy smile. A smile that was far too large for a child, the seemingly sharper teeth reflected in such a way, that hinted at a possibly darker mind. Quirrell tensed, his shoulders stiffening as he caught sight of the boy's twisted smile; a noticeable sense of unease crept down his spine. "And yet, here you are, at Hogwarts with one."_

_"Makes me wonder what else you could be hiding..."_

_Frowning, Quirrell shook his head and looked back to the enchanting mirror. "I see myself giving the stone to my master," He mused thoughtfully, before he was startled as a shadow seemed to shimmer across the mirror's reflective surface. Perhaps a trick of the dim light within the chamber? "But how do I obtain it?" Hadrian inwardly snorted, feeling a bit of impish glee as the man kept muttering to himself. Then, to Hadrian's curiosity, a low pitched voice hissed softly; a distinct masculine tone underlining the soft words._

"Usssse the boy..."

_Hm...could it be...?_

**Enjoy the show, kiddo.**  
**It'll be a scream~**

.-.-.-.  
**October 31, 1992**

_Halloween night._  
_Perhaps a cursed day?_

_Hadrian was beginning to see a pattern here, leaving some rather suspicious feelings about the supposedly magical holiday. First, he loses his parents on this night; leading to a loss of childhood. Then, last year he had to deal with a freaking troll of all things. Something told him that this year would be no different. After all, the school year had barely started and this was already trouble; like this past summer for existence...?_

**Still say you should have let me at that thing.**

_He knew that this year was going to be a bad one, especially after he found out that damn media whore; Gilderoy Lockheart was to be this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. There was just something about the blond male that Hadrian simply didn't like, like there was something that just rubbed him the wrong way._

_Speaking of today..._

_Earlier today, while traveling between classes, Hadrian had come across a rather desolate looking Sir Nicolas; who was lamenting over the denial of joining the Headless Hunt, yet again. You would think that with his neck hanging on by a shred of muscle, that Sir Nicolas would at least, be made an honorary member; but nope. And somehow, Hadrian had been convinced to attend the man's death day party, which was to be held this very evening._

_Unfortunately, for Hadrian, that is, the annoying duo of Weasley and Granger were also invited to Nicolas' party. Ugh, one of these days he was going to get rid of them. You'll see._

**Perhaps some advice?**

_And low and behold, Sir Nicolas died on All Hallows Eve so many years ago and that tonight, was his five hundredth death day. Who knew that spirits actually celebrated their deaths? Or that the dead were more_ lively _than the living. Hm, come to think of it, he thought he saw something that was a bit unexpected, well, since he'd been stuck there anyway._

_A group of six kids, watching from the shadows..._

**...what are those brats doing here?**  
_...okay?_

_The party wasn't that bad, actually. Hadrian got to meet a lot of interesting people; many from both magical and mundane history. Though, it could have been better if there had been actual food there; not to mention they could have done without the rude party crashers, a.k.a. The Headless Hunt. Finally, after about a couple of hours, Hadrian had enough and politely excused himself to Nicolas and quietly left; with the leeches following._

_Gritting his teeth, Hadrian was growing more and more annoyed with the two moronic leeches; feeling the onslaught of a nasty migraine. He was very close to hexing the two into next week when they suddenly came across an unusual scene._

_Spiders were crawling away at an alarming speed, desperate to escape something that only they could sense as they swept through a nearby opened window. That was strange in itself, as Hadrian had never seen spiders act like that before. The way they were moving...it was as if they were running from something; something big, something dangerous. Curious, he followed the trail of fleeing spiders to a somewhat disturbing scene. And there, painted in blood red were the ominous words..._

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE  
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED

_Turning his head slightly to the right, away from the supposedly bloody words, was the stiff body of one Mrs. Norris; the main coon that belonged to Argus Filch. His eyes narrowed when he took a closer look. She wasn't dead, that much Hadrian knew, but it appeared that she was completely paralyzed. Unfortunately, for them, that is, dinner had just ended and students were flooding the halls._

_"You!"_  
_...uh-oh..._

_Hadrian didn't even have a chance to turn, when Argus Filch was suddenly there, in his face. The man's face was a bright red, green-gray eyes wide and somewhat glassy; thin hands wrapping around Hadrian's neck. In a fit of rage, Filch had slammed the startled boy against the wall, fingers tightening considerably. Crap, was the man really trying to strangle him?!_

_Unknown to anyone, a vague shadow appeared behind Filch, placing a hand on the shaking man's shoulder. Only Hadrian caught sight of the glowing purple eyes, as his lungs were beginning to scream, desperate for air. Then, without warning, a shaft of red light shot through the growing crowd, striking the man and knocking him back._

_"Enough, Argus!"_

_Filch growled as he was forcibly sent back a good foot or two, instinctively releasing his hold on Potter. To several students' concern, Potter was drawing in ragged breaths, somewhat pale and his lips had a slight bluish tint; wheezing terribly. Minerva McGonagall was pushing through the crowd of shocked students, wand drawn and looking more angry than anyone had ever seen her; eyes cold._

_"What do you think that you were doing, Argus?" She hissed, spitting her words and looking very much like a furious feline; her inner Animagus hissing with rage. "He killed my cat!" Argus shouted, gesturing wildly to the still pale boy. Was he on something or what? Pretty much_ everyone _hated the man, especially that damn cat of his._

_"You'll be next, mudbloods!"_  
_...oh great._

_Still coughing, Hadrian felt his throat, wincing as it burned from even the slightest of touches. There was sure to be a bruise in the morning, and it would be hard for him to swallow much for the next few days. Grimacing, he managed to look up and could have sworn that he saw something looming over the obnoxious Draco Malfoy, a vaguely humanoid shadow; a monstrous one as blood red eyes met his stunned gaze._

_Well now..._

**This will be interesting.**

.-.-.-.  
**December 17, 1992**

_A dueling club, eh?_  
_Sounds interesting._

_Hadrian rubbed at his eyes tiredly, blinking blearily as he scanned the room wearily. The Great Hall had been set up to look like a seemingly professional dueling club; or so he was told. A platform was placed in the center of the hall, and up on the stage were Severus Snape and Gilderoy Lockheart. This would have been fun, if not for the fact that Lockheart was the one teaching the impressionable kids._

_This was going to be hell._

**Since when did kids know how to fight?**

_Hadrian wasn't really paying attention all that much, as his vision was beginning to flicker dangerously; the temples just now beginning to ache. To be honest, Hadrian rather be back in the Common Room, curled up in a chair with a good book; and the warmth of a cozy fire luring him to Morpheus' Realm. But no, he had to be spending his afternoon dealing with the fraud and most likely some time in the Hospital Wing._

THUD

**Now that's hilarious.**  
_...huh?_

_Surprised by the sudden sound of someone hitting the ground, in what sounded like a rather painful fashion, Hadrian looked up in confusion. To his curiosity, Snape had his wand drawn out and aimed at where Lockheart had been only moments before. Instead, he found the annoying blond at the other end of the platform, having landed on his bum in a most spectacular fashion; earning laughter from several gleeful students. Interesting, it appeared that not everyone was bought by his lies._

_"Ah, yes," Lockheart cleared his throat nervously. "Well, that does sometimes happen," He said with a weak smile, slowly getting to his feet; albeit a tad unsteady. Lockheart inwardly grimaced, his stomach hurting just a bit from where he had been struck. That's what he got for underestimating the other. Now, as he straightened himself in place, smiling wildly. It was time to see how the students reacted with a simple disarming spell._

_But who to choose...?_

_The blond scanned the crowd of students, noting the more eager faces before his gaze landed on Harry Potter, and he inwardly smirked. "Potter, why not you and...Weasley?" He suggested. Ronald got up, his broken wand in hand, but that was when Severus spoke up, effectively halting Lockheart's plan of humiliation. "We'd be sending Potter back in a matchbox."_

_Then, those impossibly dark eyes bore into Lockheart's, devoid of emotion. "Perhaps one of my own students?" He suggested, his words cold. "Draco Malfoy, perhaps?" A soft murmur broke through the crowd, earning some curious looks in return as Potter silently got up onto the platform. Malfoy, on the other hand, looked rather eager, an ugly look to his icy eyes._

**Need a hand, little one?**

_Potter gave a little twitch, as the two approached each other on the platform. "Scared, Potter?" Malfoy mocked. Potter was as silent as ever, his bangs shadowing his eyes, and for a moment, there was nothing. But then, his lips twisted into a smile that was far too wide, side glancing the now uneasy Slytherin, lifting his head just enough for Malfoy to see his eyes. Instead of the bright green orbs that was a reminisce of the killing curse, unnatural purple eyes zeroed in on him._

_Wait -_  
_...purple eyes?_

.-.-.-.  
**September 1, 1993**

_Third year, huh?_

_To be honest, Hadrian was surprised that he had even lasted this long. Thanks to the stupidity and the antics of the duo, Hadrian had been forced into numerous situations that normally required a grown and fully trained adult. He hadn't been all that pleased when he had been forced to travel down to the infamous Chamber of Secrets, just to rescue the leech's equally idiotic sister. Seriously, who writes in what is effectively something with human intelligence?_

**Nasty effects of too much inbreeding kiddo.**  
_...that's just nasty._

_Frowning, he leaned back in his seat, his right arm still aching, even now, from where he had been bitten by the damn Basilisk. Who knew that Slytherin's monster had been a freaking ancient Basilisk?! A soft curse escaped as he gently rubbed the area, trying to soothe the deep ache; the poison still coursing through his blood, but oddly enough, it wasn’t affecting him or anything._

_What really sucked about this past summer, was having to deal with the hateful bitch that was Margaret Dursley, Vernon's older sister. The woman was pretty much an older, female version of brother. She was taller than him, but just as fat as Vernon and with, ugh, a mustache of her own. No woman should look like that, ever. Anyway, she was a hateful, bigoted woman who would insult every tiny thing around her, and worse, she still had that beast Ripper._

_Damn thing should've been put down years ago._

**I could have taken care of that pest, you know.**  
**All you had to do was say so.**

_...not happening._

_However, near the end of her stay, Marge made a fatal mistake. If there was one rumor about Hadrian that could be confirmed, would be his temper. He was normally a quiet, laid back type of guy, however, if anyone and he meant this, **anyone** who dared to insult his parents in front of him; well, let's just say the results wouldn't be pretty. He showed no reaction as a soft snort echoed in his ears, keeping himself calm as he gazed out the window as the train continued its long journey to Hogwarts._

_His gaze then traveled over to the lone man in the compartment. Despite the heavily graying hair, Hadrian knew that the man was younger than his given appearance. There were several scars marring his weather beaten face, and even his clothes had a worn down, threadbare appearance to them. If anything, he looked to be ill and in no shape to be heading to Hogwarts. It was only a brief look to his trunk that Hadrian was able to put a name to the man; Remus J. Lupin._

_Hm..._  
_Why did he look so familiar?_

_The snack trolley had already been by, and Hadrian declined on the sweets; finally wising up and had brought a packed lunch with him. Weasley seemed disappointed by that, but to be honest, Hadrian could care less about that bottomless pit. Though, however, Hadrian did reassure the trolley lady that he would let her know if the man woke up if he wanted something down the line; an easy thing to get to._

**Watch out, kiddo.**

_After awhile, Ginerva 'Ginny' Weasley and Neville Longbottom, managed to stumble into their car. Hadrian had to fight back a grimace, as he looked away with a huff. Great, just great, more annoyances to deal with. Unfortunately, this wasn’t going to be a pleasant ride, especially not for the unsuspecting Hadrian._

**Cac.**

_Without warning, the train plunged into total darkness; startling the inhabitants within. How strange that the lights went out like that, despite the fact that the train was still moving. Ginerva suddenly let out a high pitched squeal, jerking back roughly as her feet were trodden on. "Watch it, Neville!" She snapped as he winced, pulling back slightly. There was a soft snort, before their compartment was suddenly illuminated with a soft blue light._

_...eh?_

_Hadrian turned his head slightly to the source of light, and was pleasantly surprised to see that Lupin was awake, and wand out; the tip alit with a soft light. A quick look around, confirmed the pale, nervous faces of the pest and the uneasiness of Ginerva and Neville. How curious, why were they suddenly nervous like that? Just then, the door to their compartment abruptly opened; and a rotted gray hand was seen grasping at the door frame. While at the same time, the temperatures took a sudden and steep drop, a numbingly cold frost beginning to spread across the windows._

**Shadow demons...**  
**How interesting...**

.-.-.-.  
**September 9, 1993**

_First class of DADA._  
_Time to see what Lupin was made of._

_When Hadrian entered the classroom that faithful day, he noticed something different about the room; a new addition. It was the wardrobe from the staff room, and it was shaking every so often; indicating that there was something rather lively inside. As the last student came in and settled down, Lupin revealed what they would be doing that day._

_Oh._  
_A Boggart._

_Wait a minute - wasn't a Boggart a type of Fae?_

_Hadrian tilted his head as Granger explained that a Boggart was a shapeshifting creature that would take on the form of what you feared most. And that no one has ever seen a Boggart's true form. He inwardly frowned, before reminding himself to look further into the Faeries, as the term Boggart sounded way too familiar for his tastes. Almost as if he had heard it once before, long ago._

_There was a charm, however, designed to repel a Boggart; forcing it into a more funny shape. The charm was simple, even if the words were a bit complicated for a bunch of rowdy thirteen-year-old's' Riddikulus. And after making sure that everyone knew the right movement and could pronounce clearly, Lupin brought Neville up first so that everyone could see how it worked._

_Oh boy._

_"Tell me, Mr. Longbottom," Lupin's husky voice was soft and kind. "What exactly scares you the most?" Neville swallowed thickly, his cheeks pinked as he looked down in embarrassment. "Pr-Pofessor Sn-Snape..." He stuttered, quite loudly at that. A few of the more sympathetic students grimaced at that, knowing just how much that man tormented his students; especially when it came to those like Neville and Hadrian respectively._

_"I see."_

_Lupin inwardly frowned as his honey brown eyes darkened slightly. It would appear that he would have to speak with Severus about this later. He knew that the other man could be quite harsh with his words, but to the point of being a child's Boggart? Well, that wasn't speaking very highly for himself, now was it?_

_"The idea of the Riddikulus Charm is easy," Lupin continued after he regained his bearings, placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder; giving him a gentle squeeze of assurance. "To repel the Boggart, you simply think of something funny." This caught the attention of the class, as they looked up, as if surprised by his words._

_Something funny, huh?_

_The wardrobe shook again, and it slowly opened; causing Neville to gulp. And sure enough, Severus Snape stepped out; but there was something different about the man, something that was colder, darker. "Now, Neville!" Lupin instructed as Neville shakily aimed his wand at the now Boggart. "R-Riddikulus!" He shouted, stuttering a bit with his words. There was a sudden flash of light, and without warning, the Boggart-Man was suddenly wearing a dark green, form fitting gown with the ugliest of hats._

_The class rumbled with laughter._

_"Ah-hem."_  
_...whoops._

_Somehow, during the commotion, the real Severus Snape had come into the classroom. Lupin looked up sharply, seeing the dark haired man looming in the entryway of the classroom, and it was only the slight narrowing of the dark eyes that showed just how angry Snape was. Oh dear, hopefully he wouldn't take his anger out on the now mortified Neville._

_The class immediately grew quiet as they realized just who was in the classroom at the worst possible moment. While Lupin didn't say a word, he did gesture for Dean Thomas; one of the few African American students to attend, to step forward. Dean did so and the moment he was within view, the Boggart-Man immediately shifted into a disembodied human hand; its fingers still twitching._

**Someone needs to lay off the horror movies, don't you think?**

_Nervously, Dean raised his wand, casting the spell. Within moments, the hand was trapped in a large device that many mundane born would recognize; an oversized mouse trap. Next up, was the know-it-all Granger. And somehow, Hadrian wasn't surprised when it turned into McGonagall holding a test paper that bore a bright red 'T'. The girl was a major stickler for rules, so it wasn't surprising that her biggest fear was failure. So, it took her awhile to work up the strength to turn it into McGonagall giving her an 'O'._

_Know-it-all bitch._

**Oooh, someone's sure angry~**

_Padma and Parvati Patil, twin girls of Indian descent, were up next; one after the other. Padma inadvertently revealed that she was terrified of snakes, to be more precise, a cobra. It took her to turn it into a Jack-in-the-Box before she could calm down. And as for her twin sister, it was an ancient mummy with blood soaked bandages; and it was only after she made it lose quite a few, before she calmed down._

_What were their parents thinking, letting them watch horror movies?_

_For the blackhole that was Ronald, it was a spider. And well, he wounded up making it lose its legs in a rather gruesome fashion, that caused several students to inch away from him in a nervous manner. As for the pyro Irishman, Seamus Finnegan, it was a Banshee; a bit ironic, don't you think? Anyway, he made it lose its voice, as a mute Banshee was nothing to be afraid of, after all._

_Then, things got a little weird._

_Right as Hadrian got close enough, Lupin ushered the Boggart back into the wardrobe; much to Hadrian's anger. Those who had gone before were surprised by the man's actions, to say the least. And others were rather disappointed as they wanted to see what the savior was afraid of; especially the more cruel-hearted ones. Snape, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow; having seen the dark flash in Potter's wicked green orbs._

_"Tell me something, Lupin," The dark haired man's voice was spine chillingly cold, but decidedly soft. "Why didn't you let Potter try?" Lupin flushed as everyone turned to him, though he inwardly grimaced at the sight of anger flashing in Hadrian's gaze. "Well, I'd assume that it was obvious," He said somewhat weakly. "I didn't think anyone wanted to see You-Know-Who in person."_

**Now ya done it mutt.**

CRACK

_Seamus, who had been sitting next to Hadrian, jerked back as he looked over with a nervous gaze. Potter had gripped at the edge of the table so tightly, that his nails were literally digging into the thick wood. The cracking sound that everyone had heard, had actually been Potter's own magic, reacting, causing a fissure to form in the table. Oh, Seamus was inching away, his eyes never leaving sight of Harry's nails digging into the wood._

_Potter wasn't just angry._  
_He was bloody well pissed._

_"I don't appreciate it,_ professor _," Potter's voice was decidedly low, acid practically dripping from his words. His head was lowered, allowing his bangs to shadow his eyes. "When people make false assumptions like that." His words had dropped to a soft hiss, and what was unnerving was seeing the twisted smile that graced his lips; a smile far too wide to be considered normal. "I am not," Potter said slyly. "Nor have I ever been afraid of the hypocrite that is Voldemort."_

_Cue the flinches._

**Nice work, kiddo.**

_Wait a minute -_  
_Hypocrite?_

_Tense, Snape turned dark eyes on Potter, raising an eyebrow as several students realized with a start; just what he had uttered so casually. Potter admitted that the Dark Lord wasn't frightening enough, but he had also insulted the man thoroughly by calling him a hypocrite. Snape shot Lupin a dark look, and Lupin visibly sighed; his shoulders drooping slightly in defeat._

_There was no way around it._  
_Harry would have to go forward._

_Potter's green eyes seemed darker as he slowly got to his feet, and were those purple flecks mixing in? It was unusual, and something that one wouldn't have noticed; but it gave his eyes a more exotic look. A couple of girls flushed, looking down shyly as he bypassed them, heading up to the still shaking wardrobe._

_Quite a few students straightened in their seats, looking rather eager themselves; all awaiting to see just what or who would emerge from the wardrobe. Potter was an interesting fellow, as he rarely showed much emotions, save for annoyance when dealing with the duo that was Granger and Weasley. It was clear to the observer that Potter wasn't what you would call_ fond _of those two, if anything, he detested them greatly._

_Lupin, however, was growing tense as the closer Harry got to the wardrobe, the more it shook. The loud rattling was giving off an ominous presence, one that left his inner beast highly agitated. Something big was lurking within Harry, and Lupin wasn't sure how the fallout from this would be dealt with. Then, the door slowly opened as a dark fog rolled out, coiling and snaking along the classroom._

**"Nobody told you we're here to stay...?"**

.-.-.-.

_Divination._  
_Why the hell did he take this class again - ?_

_Oh, right._

_Hadrian's green eyes flashed dangerously as he gave the red leech a dirty look. To be honest, Hadrian wanted to take Runes and Athrimancy, over something as redundant as Divination or that someone was smoking too much when they decided to hire Rubeus Hagrid as the replacement for Care of Magical Creatures. Hell, the guy never even finished his schooling, and the school board wanted him to teach?!_

_Seriously, what were these people on?_

_Right...class._

_They had finished up the whole tea leaves stick last week, and Trelawney was getting them started on crystal ball readings. Hadrian wrinkled his nose, a bit uncomfortable with the amount of incense that she kept in the rather enclosed classroom; which was held up in one of the towers. As Trelawney was passing out the crystal balls to the students, Hadrian wasn't able to hold it in any longer._

_He gave an adorable sneeze._

_As if by a silent command, every student turned to look at Hadrian with wide eyes, and even Trelawney was looking a bit surprised. "Sorry," Hadrian mumbled, rubbing at his nose. "Must be my allergies," He sniffed before sneezing again, and the realization dawned on Trelawney as she inwardly grimaced. She withdrew her wand and waved it about, surprising the students as the incense started to clear up, though there was a funny, if not sour smell about that the incense was most likely covering up._

_Why would - oh boy._

**Drunken bint.**  
_...really now?_

_"Since when did you have allergies?" The leech hissed in what he thought was a whisper, but judging by some dark looks he was receiving, he wasn't being all that quiet. Plus, Weasley had been a bit rude with how phrased his words; as if he didn't believe that Potter was just like any other kid. However, Weasley grew quiet when Harry shot him one of the darkest looks ever._

_Hm..._

**I wonder...**  
**...how much can you really handle?**

_Hadrian felt the blood being drained from his body, his eyes widening ever so slightly as a spine tingling chill went down his spine. Something was happening, something that could not be seen by the naked eye. An invisible hand suddenly grasped at his bony wrist and, without warning, something sharp was sliced across the palm; drawing forth dark red blood. Then, that same hand gently guided his hand forward and pressed his now blood soaked palm to the icy crystal._

_What was - oh!_

_The kids struggled with their assignment, seeing nothing but white fog in their crystal balls, so not a single person noticed the sudden glaze to Potter's eyes, nor the blood that was slowly dripping down the table that he and Weasley were sitting at. Lavender Brown giggled at something that Parvati had said, before turning her head to the side, and it was she, who caught sight of Potter's empty eyes staring into nothingness. "Potter?" The brunette's voice was soft as she called for the frail boy's attention._

_"Potter, is everything alright?" Her voice got a bit louder when he didn't move, and was alarmed as a look of sheer devastation washed over his face. "Parvati," Lavender hissed as her friend looked up curiously. "Something's wrong with Potter." Rolling her eyes, the dark haired girl turned her head to where Potter and Weasley were, before her dark eyes widened in shock at the sight._

_...blood?!_

_To the girl's eternal shock and disbelief, tears of blood were falling from Potter's cloudy eyes. "Professor!" Parvati cried as she got to her feet, alarming the other students. "Something's wrong with Potter!" Weasley turned his head, and his eyes narrowed slightly, as if thoughtful by something. He was about to shake Harry out from whatever this was, when Trelawney's voice rang out, loud but firm._

_"Do NOT touch him, Weasley!"_

_Weasley froze, his hand still stretched out, but now shaking before he lowered his hand; as if shocked by something. That was a first, to see Trelawney losing her temper like that. The woman was gently brushing by the stunned class, her big brown eyes scanning the teen over carefully, going from the teen to the crystal ball; disbelief flashing there before sighing._

_"He is being shown something that we cannot."_

_Finally, after what seemed like forever, Hadrian was released and he fell onto his back with a choked wheeze; his face white as snow. He couldn't hear the demands of his classmates, nor the scolding of Trelawney, as he laid there, gazing up at the ceiling with wide eyes._

**The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.**  
**Do remember that, little rabbit.**

.-.-.-.  
**August 26, 1994**

_It was the screams that woke him up._

_Hadrian sat up in the cot, rubbing at his eyes sleepily. "What's going on?" He slurred, trying to wake up even as Morpheus' Realm tempted him back to sleep. He saw that the Weasley family were hurrying around the enchanted tent; packing everything up as if frantic about something. He saw the two pests and the idiot looking rather pale, huddling with one another. While he wasn't too fond of the sport itself, Hadrian found that he had been enjoying himself._

_Until now, that is._

_"It isn't good, Har'," Fred Weasley - or was that George? - said uneasily. "There's some people out there causing trouble," The other twin piped up, his voice low and grim. Hearing those words, any traces of sleep left Hadrian as he straightened up; his eyes clear and hard. He flipped out of bed, still clothed and slipped on his shoes; his gaze never leaving sight of the still flapping tent entrance._

_"What kind of trouble?" Hadrian asked quietly. Now, before either of the twins could speak up, it was Charlie; the second oldest, who spoke in their place. "Death Eaters," He said grimly. "Or those trying to imitate them," Bill Weasley, the oldest, said with an uneasy tone as he flicked his wand; ensuring the last of their belongings were packed and shrunk. Hadrian blinked owlishly before realization dawned on him as his green eyes flashed a wicked purple._

_Ah yes._  
_Death Eaters._

_Followers of the hypocrite._

_Hadrian looked towards the tent entrance, a purple gleam in his eyes as he tilted his head. He could hear the frightened screams of people running away, which were intermingled with soft cackles of glee and the shouts of spells being thrown about. However, there was something else. Something that only Hadrian could hear, something that should not be possible._

_Inhumane shrieks._

**Not yet, kiddo.**

.-.-.-.  
**October 31, 1994**

_All Hallow's Eve._  
_Halloween._

_A cursed day for Hadrian._

_This year had been a surprising one, so far, anyway. It was at the Start-of-the-Year feast when nosybody Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, had announced the revival of the infamous Tri-Wizard Tournament. A tournament for those of age, to prove themselves worthy between three major schools; Beauxbatons, Drumstrang and Hogwarts. For once, he was glad that the teachers were stepping up to the plate, so to speak._

_Maybe a quiet year, for once?_  
_...he just jinxed himself, didn’t he?_

_It was the previous day, when the seventh years from Beauxbatons and Drumstrang had arrived; providing a show of their own. Unfortunately, the distasteful Dumbledore only allowed the students to sing the school song; which was, of course, horrific. Hadrian had shaken his head, disappointed by the selection. For one thing, the school song didn't make much sense, and also, why not show off a bit what they were capable of? Instead, the old man had most likely shot Hogwarts reputation in the foot -- again, he might add._

_Then there was the announcement that the students only had one day to enter their names into the Goblet of Fire. Hadrian's eyes narrowed dangerously into slits, when the Headmaster continued forth, explaining that an age-line ward had been set up, so that only those of age could enter. Considering what had happened these past three years, and with everything, and he meant_ everything _, that he had been dragged in by the annoying duo, this year would be no different._

_Somehow, someway, Hadrian knew that he would be dragged into this._  
_Just watch._

**That's a sucker's bet, and you know it.**

_Since the announcement of the tournament and the arrival of the two schools, Hadrian had been voicing his displeasure; and quite loudly at that. And the dark looks that he would give the goblet, said it all; Hadrian wasn't just angry, he was positively_ murderous _about this. When he was asked once by someone, he wasn't sure who it was, about the money and fame; Hadrian gave the idiot a dark look before coldly reminding everyone that he already_ had _fame and money, which wasn't for a good reason._

_Thankfully, he was left alone after that._

_So, after dinner had been served and cleared, the champion announcements would take place. Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons, Quidditch Player Viktor Krum for Drumstrang, and finally, Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts. Aw hell, he really had jinxed himself, even worse doing it on the one holiday that he wanted to avoid!_

_Then, without warning, the flames burned even brighter as a fourth sheet shot out, and Dumbledore easily grabbed it; reading the name to himself. Oh, Hadrian had to give the man some credit, he was a good actor. No one knew the truth, save for one, as Albus Dumbledore seemed surprised by the parchment, his blue eyes widening as he read the name out loud; as if in disbelief. At the same time, Hadrian slammed his head onto the table, cursing softly; some guttural hisses and clicks leaving him._

_"Harry Potter!"_  
_...fuck, he really was cursed._

_"Get up there!" Granger hissed, grabbing at his right arm; as if to stop him. Her grip was a bit tight for his tastes, earning a low growl in return as he yanked his arm back; did he have any bruise paste in his trunk or did he have to make some? He would have to look into that later, but first, he had to deal with this mess. "Harry Potter!" Starting with the damn old coot who got him into this in the first place!_

_Dumbledore's tone had gained a slight edge to it, showing his displeasure when the teen in question remained seated. At the soft hisses from Hufflepuff, the displeasure from Ravenclaw, the grumblings of Gryffindor and the jeering snickers of Slytherin's; Hadrian's fine control over his temper finally snapped._

_Suddenly, there came the sounds of something heavy slamming into wood, filling the Great Hall; and effectively silenced its angry inhabitants. As if realizing something, every single soul who was there, all turned to stare at the Gryffindor table. There, with his right fist partially embedded in the reinforced table, was one Hadrian Potter._

_Hadrian was shaking, his head low and his breathing was coming out somewhat harsh. The air around him seemed to shimmer, the temperatures fluctuating terribly as he breathed; it almost felt like there was a murder of Dementors within the room. "Know this," Hadrian’s voice was surprisingly soft as he spoke, and yet, it was able to ring throughout the hall._

_"I may be a lot of things, but I'm not fucking suicidal." His head snapped up, his green eyes bearing a purple gleam as his lips curled slightly. To the unease of those who were near him, his teeth appeared to be sharper than usual. "I did_ not _fucking enter!" He hissed, purple eyes alit with fire as he growled, getting to his feet as he calmly strode towards the door._

_"So fuck off!"_

_However, just as he reached the doors, he heard a distinct click and frowned. Seems the bee was getting a bit desperate to keep him in. His purple eyes began to glow as a cruel smile graced his lips. Without lifting his head, Hadrian spoke, but it sounded like there was a second voice overlapping his; one that was unknown to all._

**_"Time's almost up~"_**

.-.-.-.  
**August 2, 1995**

_Life's a bitch, don't you think?_

_You would think, after a shitty childhood and dealing with all of the trouble of his school, that he'd be used to crap like this. But no, even now there were things that still sent him reeling. And so, at fifteen years of age, Hadrian knew without a doubt, that he was Fate's chew toy. Hell, even those who were at Hogwarts were aware of his status!_

**Heads up, you've got company.**

_Sighing, Hadrian slowly got to his feet, the swing behind him swaying gently. He might as well head back, though, it appeared that he wasn't alone in the park anymore. He tensed when he heard the rowdy laughter of one Dudley Dursley and his little gang of thugs. Hadrian inwardly grimaced at the thought of having to deal with the ignorant drones and his equally idiotic cousin._

_"Hey, Big D..."_   
_"...isn't that your cousin over there?"_

_Big D, really Dudley?_

_Turning his head slightly, Hadrian didn't even need to see the approaching group; he could smell their stench a mile away. Seriously, didn't those idiots know how to bathe properly? Hadrian wrinkled his nose, not even surprised to see Dudley Dursley, Piers Polkiss, Dennis, Gordon and Malcolm coming into view. While Dudley wasn't as fat as he used to be, seeing how he had gotten into boxing the previous year, but he was still considered obese._

_What were they up to?_

_"What are you doing here, Potter?" Dudley demanded, stomping up to the silent teen; his 'friends' were right behind him, eager for some action. "This here is_ our _turf," He continued, practically in Hadrian's face. Hadrian, on the other hand, leaned back with a wrinkle of the nose; smelling the weed on the other's breath. Great, his stupid cousin was already stoned out of his mind._

**You've got more important things to worry about.**   
_...what?_

_Hadrian felt a presence around him, the voice he had always heard, now had a stronger tone to their words. A strong hand suddenly grasped his chin and gently guided him towards the back of the park; where tunnels could visibly be seen. To Hadrian's eternal unease, the temperatures were dropping at an alarming speed as frost began to coat the play equipment. And only Hadrian saw the cloaked figure and he let out a soft curse._

_Fucking shit._

_What the hell were Dementors doing here?!_

.-.-.-.  
 **June 20, 1996**

_Mad cackles._

_Everyone within the Chamber of Death, hidden deep within the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, had frozen in disbelief. Bellatrix Lestrange stood there, wand drawn as she cackled with madness; eyes gleaming with childish glee. There, having fought her only moments before, had been Sirius Black; but he had been sent into the infamous Veil by his own bloody relative._

_"I did it!" She crowed._   
_"I finally killed Sirius Black!"_

_Hadrian, who had grown still in shock, could only look from the Veil to Bellatrix's laughing expression; having been held back by Remus Lupin. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Sirius Black, his blood and magic sworn godfather, had been fighting off Bellatrix with surprising ease; but had been knocked back into the Veil via a red beam of energy from Bellatrix._

PAIN!

_Knees quivering, Hadrian would have collapsed, if not for Lupin keeping him steady. His head felt like it would explode at any given moment, like someone was taking a knife and repeatedly stabbing him in the eyes. Memories that shouldn't be possible, blossomed before his very eyes. Memories of what had or could have been, and the warnings of what had yet to come._

_And he knew._   
_Hadrian Jameson Potter finally understood._

**My turn now~**


	8. Descending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, begins the dwindle into madness...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some blood will be seen

**June 18, 1983**

_The Afton's._  
_And the Emily's._

_If there was but one word that could describe the two very different families, it would be 'chaotic'. Despite the chaos of their childhood, William Afton and Henry Emily remained very close friends; still keeping in touch even as they attended different colleges._

_William had gone on to several different courses; covering cooking, business and even robotics. Henry still held a love for mathematics and machinery; choosing a degree in technology and robotics. Their bond remained strong, and were even each other's best man for their respective weddings; comfortable with their lives. Though, Will was still a tad shy around large groups of people._

_William eventually settled down with a lovely girl by the name of Dana Schmidt, a wonderful German-American woman with curly dark hair and warm sapphire blue eyes. However, it wasn’t until the birth of his children, that William discovered her true nature. Underneath that supposedly sweet visage of hers, laid a darker nature. Dana had a way with words, as she could be either charming or downright vicious; easily breaking one's own shield. Plus, she got rather violent once her temper was triggered._

_Despite this, he had cared for her. They would go on to have three wonderful children, and Will, he had been ecstatic to be a father; promising himself that he would never be like his parents. Michael William, who was the oldest; having inherited his mother’s coloring, but was practically a clone of his father in looks. Elizabeth Jane was their only daughter, having inherited her grandmother's rich auburn hair and green eyes. And their youngest boy, Finn Michael, who seemed to be a perfect blend of his parents; but sported Dana's deep blue eyes._

_Still, though, there were problems._

_As Finn grew older, William found himself arguing more and more with Dana. Their arguments were usually heated and quite vocal, verging on some pretty non-child friendly words; but Will always caught himself before he could utter those words. While he wasn't the best of fathers, he truly loved each and every single one of his kids._

_As for the Emily family...?_  
_Well..._

_Henry had met a sweet girl of British origin; much to Will's bemusement, a lovely girl by the name of Brenda Spinnet. She was pretty in her own way with long, silky chocolate locks and warm brown eyes. She would bear Henry two children, fraternal twins; Samuel and Charlotte Emily. Unfortunately, there were some complications._

_Brenda had never spoken of her health, something that had always bothered Henry, even now. As no one had any knowledge of her family's health history, Brenda's body had given out due to complications of giving birth. What had broken the older man was that Samuel died from SID's not even a fortnight later; leaving Charlotte as the only surviving child. Charlotte or 'Charlie' as she preferred, was a perfect mixture of her parents, and was one of the sweetest girls around._

_Now, you're probably wondering to yourself on what lead to two different families living under one roof, hm? The truth is, it was through the actions of William's now ex-wife; who had finally snapped when little Finn was only three years old. Perhaps it was a good thing that only Michael had any memories of that frightening night?_

_Needless to say, Dana had gone completely nuts one night and had stabbed him in the left shoulder. William, despite being in pain, had managed to get the kids to the car, but before he could drive to safety; Dana had somehow gotten ahold of a shotgun, of all things and shot William close to where the knife had been left._

_Thankfully, Elizabeth and Finn had been young enough to forget about that night. The only thing those two knew, was that she wasn't around anymore. Nonetheless, Will spent about two weeks in the hospital until he was strong enough to leave. During that trying time, Henry stayed by his side and suggested that the Afton's move in. Well, technically, they had to move into a bigger home now that the two men would be looking after four growing kids._

_Strangely enough, it worked out._

.-.-.-.

_At the sounds of a shower being run, Michael Afton looked up from his bowl, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like someone's finally awake," He mused, blue eyes traveling upwards. Charlie Emily, who was just two months younger than him, rolled her brown eyes fondly. It was the same old snipping that was done practically every morning, so she had gotten used to the Afton's antics fairly quickly._

_"Michael," Henry warned as the two little ones, Finn and Elizabeth, stumbled into the kitchen. The two were still in their pjs, yawning and rubbing at their eyes; the delicious aroma of freshly made pancakes had aroused them from their sleep, luring them downstairs. Michael snorted, but kept quiet as he continued to eat._

_In the meantime, Henry blew a brown strand from his face as he placed a plate of chocolate chip pancakes down for the two hungry children; before pouring them each a glass of fresh milk. "Thanks Unca' Henry," Lizzy chirped as she dug in with gusto. Finn gave a sweet, if sleepy smile, before he too, was digging in hungrily. That was another thing, each kid would refer to the other adult as 'uncle'; signifying just how strong their bonds really were._

_After awhile, Michael lowered his spoon, speaking up; but his voice was quieter than usual. "He’s having nightmares again," He said quietly. "Isn't he?" Henry, who had begun to wash up, suddenly stilled as he looked down; as if hesitant about something. "Michael," Henry's voice was quiet as he spoke, his eyes dimming as if lost in thought. "You have to understand that your father is a very private man," He sighed, feeling a faint sense of bitterness. "Always had been," He snorted softly at that. "And always will be."_

_Always...?_

_"Mornin'."_  
_Ah, and speaking of the devil..._

_Henry gave a slight smile at the sound of Will's soft voice, turning his head slightly to see that his friend was slowly coming into the kitchen; auburn locks still a bit damp from his prompt shower. His smile dropped just a bit when he noted the minute differences in Will's appearance; changes that only Henry could see._

_Despite his meticulous appearance, Will was decidedly pale, his eyes much duller and there were early signs of baggage forming underneath. Exhaustion seemed to pour from him as he met Henry's gaze, the corners of his lips quirking slightly into a soft, if yet, tired smile; before shaking his head discreetly. Hm, a discussion for later, it would seem. A discussion, that Henry felt, that he was not going to be enjoying._

_"Morning daddy!" Lizzie greeted with a wide, toothy smile as she swallowed a forkful of sweet pancakes. Finn gave a little smile, his shy nature in full throttle. "Hey kiddo," Will ruffled Finn's hair, who squealed, reaching up to straighten his hair. "Daddy's silly," Lizzie decreed with a wide smile, before going back to her meal._

_Shaking his head, Henry quietly handed over a cup of freshly brewed coffee to Will, just the way he knew Will liked it; three sugars and two reams. "Is everything okay?" Henry's words were an eerie reminisce of what was as Will lifted the cup, breathing in that heavenly aroma. He stopped, lowering the cup slightly as his teal eyes dimmed in though, a slight frown gracing his lips. "Honestly, Henry?" His voice was soft, his words somewhat hollow. "I don't know anymore."_

_"...does this have anything to do with the fact that Cassidy Williams is still missing?"_  
_...huh?_

_Henry and Will both froze, before slowly turning to stare at Charlie, who had been the one to speak. "Wh-What?" Henry swallowed thickly, his words stuttering a bit in his shock; as if stunned by the sudden question. Michael was even looking at her as if surprised. Charlie blinked, before her cheeks turned a light pink and looked down at her half-eaten plate, as if embarrassed._

_"Well," Charlie brushed a brown strand from her face, biting her lip as if unsure about something. "Cassidy Williams was last seen at the diner about six weeks ago," She said quietly. "No one's seen her since." Charlie shrugged, as if this was something she was used to hearing, but Michael frowned at that._

_"There's been nothing in the papers," He murmured, casting a side glance her way. "How'd you find out?" Charlie instinctively flushed, her cheeks darkening just a bit where it was noticeable. "I'm friends with her older brother, Evan," She admitted with a sheepish smile, catching Michael's attention. "Wait," He tilted his head, trying to remember if he knew an Evan. "Evan Williams from Biology?" He asked with a squint, earning a nod in return._

_Surprisingly enough, Michael scowled as he leaned back in his seat, blue eyes turning icy. Well, well, looks like someone was a wee bit jealous. Technically, Michael did have his own set of friends, even if there were a few that were considered unpleasant (especially by Will's standards)._

CRACK

_The kids all jumped, startled by the sudden sounds of something fragile shattering. Alarmed by the abrupt noise, Henry turned his head sharply to Will, from where the sound had come from; now concerned by what he found. Will had suddenly gone very, very white; his breathing taking on a sharper, more pained tone. His hands were trembling, but the cup was nowhere to be seen._

_A quick look down confirmed it, somehow, Will had inadvertently dropped his mug; sending it tumbling to the floor where it had shattered upon contact. Thick shards of porcelain were now scattered around his feet, coffee soaking his shoes. Finn and Elizabeth were nervous when they saw what had happened, but it was Michael who spotted it; narrowing slightly when he saw what Henry had not._

_Blood._

_"Dad," Michael called, his voice surprisingly soft and gentle as he straightened in his chair. "You're bleeding," His eyes were dimming as if recalling that frightful night so long ago. Henry's brown eyes scanned Will carefully, before finally noticing the red droplets running freely down the other's hands. "I-I don't..." Will shook his head, a sharp ache suddenly racing up both arms as he shuddered. Oh, that hadn't been whose as his vision darkened dangerously; his head throbbing angrily as nausea churned his senses, acid beginning to burn at his throat._

_Eyes softening, Henry reached out and gently took Will's shaking hands into his own, before raising an eyebrow in concern. Will's hands were freezing cold, and he could feel the other's muscles spasm in such a way that it was sure to be painful. Giving a soft sigh, Henry looked up and met his daughter's gaze, realization dawning there. "Already on it, dad," She called as she got up to use the phone that was in the hallways._

_Wait - what?_

_Will blinked owlishly, as if he was struggling to see. Something wasn't right, this much both men knew. The ache in Will's arms were burning like mad, and he was trying to flex his fingers, but the digits had locked painfully into place. He inwardly grimaced as it felt like a storm was brewing in his head, his very nerves were on fire; with his vision going in-and-out of focus, leaving him more nauseous than ever. A decidedly cold chill had settled in his soul, leaving him unsettled by the presence._

_All in all, Will felt like shit._

_From where he was sitting, Michael could hear Charlie talking to someone on the phone. And it wasn't until he caught several words like_ dizzy _,_ shaking _and the one that made him a tad bit nervous was_ ill looking _; that Michael realized that she was talking with a doctor. In reality, Charlie was talking with the Emily family doctor._

_Was...was his dad really sick?_

_Feeling Will's trembles getting worse, Henry inwardly frowned as he gently guided the younger man over to a vacant chair; his eyes never leaving sight of Will's pale face. Already, Will's teal eyes had gained a somewhat visible glaze, eyes staring blankly as he appeared to be gripped by a cold, clammy sweat. "Is daddy okay?" Lizzie asked nervously, no longer hungry as she looked worried at her dad, holding onto Finn's hand; who was beginning to tear up._

Initiating shutdown . . .

_Michael's heart practically froze in his chest, watching with wide blue eyes when the light in his dad's eyes suddenly blinked out of existence. "Dad!" He cried, shooting to his feet and Henry had to dive forward, just as Will's eyes rolled back and he collapsed into blissful unconsciousness._

**Fahf ah mgepnah.**

.-.-.-.

_It would be an hour or so before the Emily family doctor would arrive, medical bag in hand. Henry made sure that Michael and Charlie kept the little ones entertained in the kitchen, while he helped William to the living room; gently laying him down on the couch, hoping that Dr. James Moore would arrive soon. This was something that was clearly out of his league, and Henry had no idea on what to do._

_Knowing of their living situation, James Moore was also the family doctor for the Afton's. After all, he had been the one to treat Mr. Afton of his injuries given to him three years prior. In fact, James had been insistent on being the one to treat the little family, and had done so since, and when he received the call from Charlie Emily that morning, James Moore knew that this was going to be a long day for him._

_A_ very _long day._

_James Moore was a man in his mid forties with graying brown hair, a kind and weathered face and warm gray eyes. He was a kind, gentle natured soul and well liked by the town's residents. Today, however, was going to be a life changing event for the family, and not for the better, either._

(...)

_Henry stepped back as he laid Will down on the couch, brushing back a damp auburn strand from the man's face; his brow furrowing in concern, when there came a soft knock from the front. Henry didn't even have to look up, to know who it was. "It's open!" He called, his voice, while soft, was firm._

_Henry was worried about Will, and wondered if there was something that had been overlooked, something that he had failed to see before. There was a moment of hesitation, but then, the door slowly opened and the newly arrived guest slowly came inside. "How long has he been like this?"_

_Ah._  
_Dr. Moore._

_The man's natural Southern accent had thickened his words slightly, but his concern was clearly there. Henry heaved a sigh, closing his eyes in frustration. "Since Charlie called you," He admitted quietly, now that he thought about it. It was almost as if Will was a puppet, whose strings had just been freshly cut; or something a bit more frightening..._

_Frowning softly, Moore strode forward, approaching the downed man carefully. However, as he grew closer, there came a sudden chill; sweeping down his spine. Shaking off his unease, Moore knelt down before William and withdrew a small penlight. He flicked it on, and gently lifted an eyelid, checking Will's eyes carefully. "The pupils are dilated," He mused thoughtfully, his frown deepened slightly. "Tell me something, Henry," Moore's voice was quiet as he spoke, not once did he look up from what he was doing._

_"What do you know of William's medical history?"_

_...say what?_

_Henry paused, looking down thoughtfully. Unknown to him, the kitchen had grown quiet as both Michael and Charlie listened in. "Like I told Michael, Will's a private person," Henry said quietly. "Especially when we were kids." Moore looked up sharply, a bit suspicious by the soft admission. "Nothing about his parents?" From within the kitchen, Charlie glanced nervously at Mike, who had stilled in place._

_"I never met his parents," Henry finally spoke. "And for a good reason." Henry's brown eyes met Moore's gray orbs, and he looked a bit uneasy as his eyes darted to the kitchen. "Will's own mother tried to kill him when we were kids," His voice had dropped, but not low enough as Michael heard his admission and was horrified by the revelation. Moore stiffened, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I see," He murmured, looking back down at his patient with a softened gaze._

_Charlie and Mike exchanged stunned looks, as if unable to comprehend something so terrible. Mike bit his lip as he looked back to where Elizabeth and Finn were, and winced when he saw their growing fear, for they too, heard Uncle Henry's soft words. "I wonder if that's why he never mentions his parents," Charlie mused, her voice quiet._

_"And his father...?"_

_Henry grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. "He, um, died when Will was about sixteen." Moore sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He had a feeling that it was something like that, now glad that he had done his research when he willingly took on the Afton's; and what he found wasn't painting Jack Afton nor his wife, Sarah, in a very good light. A long and dark history of abuse and mental degrading..._

_"Henry," Moore called softly. "I need to speak with you privately and away from prying ears," James looked back to the kitchen where he saw Charlie ducking her head, cheeks pink. Chuckling softly, Henry nodded and the two moved a bit further away from the living room, and Henry made sure that William was still within view, as he spoke with the doctor._

_"Henry, I don't mean to alarm you," James said softly, his gray eyes darkening as he met Henry's nervous gaze. "But, there is a history of mental illness in William's paternal side." Henry froze, staring at James Moore in stunned disbelief, blinking rapidly. "Wha...?" The brunette shook his head, the fear was beginning to settle, but so was a thoughtful realization._

_...eh?_

_As if by a silent command, both men abruptly turned back to the couch, for they had barely heard the sounds. Despite his state, William was muttering under his breath, the words an incoherent mumble. Exchanging concerned looks, the two men stepped closer, that is, until they could hear his words; words that were being spoken with genuine fear._

_Will's face, while still pale, was quickly becoming a twisted mask of pain, breathing heavily as he shivered within a frightening dream. It sounded like he was pleading with someone, insisting that he wasn't going to do it. Suddenly, and without warning, there came a sound that neither man had been expecting; the brutal wet sound of flesh being ripped apart._

_To their stunned horror, a long and angry slash was suddenly carved over Will's left eye; a fine, bright red mist was splashed across the wall, and Will drew in a pained gasp, eyes snapping open. Somehow, his eyes didn't shine their usual shade of teal. Instead, an unnatural shade of purple glared out; wilder in tone._

_Wait a minute -_  
Purple _eyes?!_

ERROR_ERROR_ERROR

_Just as swift as it had happened, it was over. Will groaned before slipping back into blissful unconsciousness once more; blood still dripping down his face. Alarmed, James reached for Will, feeling for a pulse. It was a frightening few moments as Moore's expression tightened, but then, a sense of relief when he felt the slow, if steady throb of a pulse._

_That...that wasn't normal._

_Not even by medical standards!_

_It would appear that whatever secrets that laid in Jack Afton's family, was affecting William a lot more than what James had first assumed; a_ lot _more. Hold on a moment, if this was affecting William now, what about his children? Were any of them at risk for whatever this illness was?_

_What is it that you're hiding, William?_

.-.-.-.

_After going through several tests, it was revealed in the end that William was suffering from quite a few things. The major cause of concern was fibromyalgia, a painful disease that affected the muscles and nerves; an unfortunate lifelong illness that affected the natural sleep patterns, the memory and had a higher chance of increasing potential depression. The thing was, fibromyalgia or fibrositis normally affected females, so it was a bit more rare to see it in a male._

_Another worrying factor was that William's heartbeat was much slower than it should have been. And his lungs had been partially filled with fluid. William was going to have to take things easy for awhile, and that he needed to keep his stress under control._

_Too bad that was never going to happen._

(...)

_Unknown to anyone within the family, there was someone who had broken into the house that should not be. Lurking in the shadows as they rummaged through the workshop of Will and Henry, muscles tensed as their eyes darted about. They were there for a reason, and one reason only; find the new plans and bring 'em to the boss. Doing this without being caught, and they would leave with a nice, fat bonus._

_Now…_   
_Where were those designs...?_

_They looked through each drawer carefully, checking the filing cabinet; making sure that nothing was left out of place, humming softly. Nothing, there was nothing about the new plans, just some half finished projects. It wasn't until they spotted a simple bound journal laying on a table, just to their left; a table that was propped up against the far wall._

_Hm...could it be?_

_They strode over, picking the book up and flipped it open. An elegant eyebrow was arched, taking in every detail, before smiling cruelly. They had found their prize, now to deliver to the boss. But oh, their smile became more twisted as they calmly pocketed the book._

_Soon, the Afton-Emily family would be no more._


	9. Breaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonds begin to break as life falls apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blood, death and torture are noted to happen in this chapter. You have been warned.

_Summer was slowly passing on by._

_Hurricane was once a peaceful town where everyone knew one another; trusting their neighbors. However, as young Cassidy Williams had yet to be found, life was changing for all. Families were nervous and growing more and more suspicious of one another. There was even a curfew that had gone into effect for the young ones; a ten o'clock sharp one._

_As July was coming to a close, tensions between William, Henry and the Board of Directors had been steadily growing worse. The Board was being more demanding of the duo, asking for newer and better characters with relentless force. Ir was getting to the point where even_ Henry _was getting frustrated. And that man, bless him, had the patience of a saint!_

_It was strange though._

_Will's health was fluctuating from day-to-day, leaving him tired and ill on most days; to his personality changing. These days, he was looking quite pale, bags forming under his eyes as he slept fitfully to the point where he would suffer from periods of insomnia. He was growing thinner as days passed, practically wasting away before his frightened children. His eyes would dart about in a nervous manner, as if he was afraid of something...or should that be more along the lines of some_ one _?_

_Today, however, was a day that no one would ever forget._

_This was a day where dreams would crumble away. Bonds of friendship that had once been strong, would begin to fracture. And a family would be forever broken, all because of human greed._

.-.-.-.  
**July 31, 1983**

_Sunday._  
_One of their busiest days._

_Henry fought back a yawn as he pulled up to the diner that faithful morning, parking in the back as he did every day. He reached down and tiredly switched the engine off, reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose, sighing softly. It was hard to believe that the summer was half over, and that schools would be starting up soon. At least, when the new year started, Fredbear's Diner could get a good rest._

_Hearing the soft, evened breathing, the brunette looked over and smiled softly at the sight of his partner. Will had fallen asleep some time ago, his head propped up against the frame, breathing softly. The poor guy was exhausted, and to be honest, Henry couldn’t blame him._

_With it being so hot and muggy lately, neither of them had gone for the standard uniform that the Board had insisted on. Instead, both men had opted for a much lighter wear; short sleeved or sleeveless shirts in their respective colors and thin pants. The lighter wear made it much easier to get in and out of the spring suits after all, even if they hadn't been used in awhile._

_"Will," Henry hated having to wake him up, but they had a job to do and he needed Will to be fully focused today. "Will, you need to wake up." He gently tapped the man's shoulder. The younger male jerked back, awaking with a start; a soft groan escaping as his hazy eyes fluttered. "We're here," Henry said quietly as he leaned back while Will stretched in place, his limbs aching slightly from the awkward sleeping position._

_"Sorry," Will mumbled, his words were partially slurred as he was still somewhere between reality and the dream world. He tiredly ran a hand through messy auburn locks as he blinked blearily, before his vision rapidly sharpened._

_Hold on a moment -_  
_What was that?_

_"What's that taped to the door, over there?" Will asked uneasily, unconsciously straightening in place. Confused, if not weary, Henry followed his gaze, his honey brown eyes widening slightly. Sure enough, there was indeed something taped to the back door. And judging by the shape and size, it looked like an envelope had been left behind._

_"Wait here," Henry muttered as he slowly got out. However, in his haste to check, Henry never saw the hurt look in William's eyes, nor the purple flash as William frowned. Henry was tense as he approached the door, and was surprised to find their names written out. He reached out, took the envelope and read the notice that had been left behind for them._

_"Well?"_

_Henry inwardly flinched when he heard William's soft voice, barely picking up on the hidden anger within his tone. It took a great deal to anger William, and when he was angry, it was best to stay out of his way; thankfully, it was a rare event. Right now, Henry knew that he had to watch what he would say, as again, an angry William Afton was something that no one should have to see..._

_"Were, you, uh," Henry swallowed thickly as he slowly turned to see an annoyed William standing there, arms crossed and raising an eyebrow. "Working on anything new?" Will blinked owlishly, the annoyance slowly bleeding out as he tilted his head in a kittenish like manner. "Not that I'm aware of," He mused thoughtfully, eyes dimming in thought before he shook his head and looked back to Henry, and thankfully, much calmer._

_"Maybe we should check things out," Henry said nervously, looking to the locked door with unease. If the notice was true, then why on earth hadn't they been notified of changes? Henry knew that he wasn't fond of surprises, and neither was Will._

_Sighing, Will went back to the car, got their things out as well as his set of keys and returned; handing Henry his respective gear. Shaking his head, Will quietly inserted the key into the lock, turning it, thus unlocking the door and granting the two access to the diner._

_The diner was quite lovely._  
_One that they worked hard to build._

_The diner opened up into a cozy foyer where there were soft, cushy seating for the gathering guests; the comfort presence of small, but luscious plants gave a more inviting atmosphere. Pass the foyer was a hallway that opened up into the main dining area; paintings of amazing places lining the wall. And the infamous Pirate's Cove was off to the right of the main stage, but the purple curtains were drawn tightly._

_Several long tables were lined perfectly in front of the stage, and there were even smaller, more rounder tables settled comfortably along the dining room. Each of the more intricate booths carried a single, clear vase and a planters box was sitting above each booth; full of thick ivy that ran over the seats, all-in-all, it was a warmer, more romantic atmosphere for the young couples._

_There was a bit of a problem, though._  
_The stage..._

_Realizing what was so wrong about everything, Henry's eyes scanned the dining area with worry. "Where are the animatronics?" He asked uneasily, noticing that the main four were nowhere to be found. Will, on the other hand, was very,_ very _pale when he saw the new animatronics standing on the stage. Animatronics that he was somehow able to recognize, but was horrified to see them. They were nowhere near being finished..._

_The Freddy that stood there was a newer, more advanced model over Fredbear and the original Freddy. Instead of the traditional fur suit, this Freddy had been built from a foreign metal; a shimmering creamy white. His muzzle was a bit smaller, more compact and was a soft lilac with a matching belly; though his inner ears were a darker shade of purple, and he had purple tinted cheeks. His eyes shone a familiar shade of blue..._

_Like Fredbear and Spring Bonnie, this new Freddy had more humanoid hands, but paws for feet; a speaker was even built into his chest. He carried a microphone in his left hand, but his right hand ended in a creepy looking hand puppet. The puppet eerily resembled Bonnie, but with rosy red cheeks and wore a bright red bow. This Freddy, however, wore a purplish metallic top hat and a black bow._

_Standing behind Freddy was a human animatronic; resembling a beautiful and curvy woman. Like the Freddy, she appeared to be made from a similar, foreign metal; but her skin was white as snow. Her navy locks was tied up into a French bun, a shimmering silver crown could be seen perched upon her head. Her eyes, though, were seemingly closed; dusted heavily with navy eye shadow. She even wore a blue leotard complete with a purplish-pink tutu trimmed in soft white; golden bells twinkling merrily from the hemline, and a pair of deep blue ballerina-style slippers._

_Just off to her left, was an animatronic that greatly resembled Foxy, and yet, it wasn't. This version of Foxy was just a little bit taller and more slimmer than the model that everyone knew; made from the same foreign metal. Soft pink tinted their muzzle, belly, the inner lining of their ears, hands and even the tip of their seemingly bushy tail._

_Their ears were even longer than Foxy's, and like the ballerina and the new Freddy, this version of Foxy had humanoid hands, but paws for feet. Their cheeks were a soft pink and their eyes shone a warm shade of gold. There was even a little red bow tied around their neck. And finally, like the version of Freddy, there was a speaker built into their chest._

_And finally, standing at the forefront was an animatronic that eerily enough, resembled Elizabeth. The animatronic was made from the same foreign metal, but her skin was white as snow. Her ruby locks was carefully done up into pigtails, rosy red cheeks and a small red nose; her eyes were a slightly darker shade of blue than Freddy's._

_She wore a sleeveless red dress that had frills around the shoulders, little red jester shoes that sported a single golden bell. She even carried a little microphone in her right hand, though it was strange to see the orange fan built into her stomach. It shouldn't even be possible for them to be here._

_But they were._

_It was Funtime Freddy and Foxy._  
_Along with Ballora and Circus Baby._

_"Henry," Will said slowly, his voice weak and shaken. "I-I didn't build those..." Henry was alarmed when he heard the sudden drop to Will’s voice and turned to see that Will was white as a sheet, staring at the new animatronics with what he could have sworn was genuine fear. "Hey, are you okay?" Henry gently reached out for his friend, raising an eyebrow when he felt the minute trembles running through Will's thin frame._

_That was when things got a little unusual._

_As Henry turned to look Will over, he never once saw the slight twitch that ran through each animatronic. Nor did he see the soft glow coming to their eyes as they activated at once, but Will; oh he saw what was happening and quite understandably, he was nervous as hell._

_Will's legs were beginning to quiver as his stomach lurched without warning. Unfortunately, for Will, that is, Henry saw the beginnings of a flare up and immediately grew concerned. "Here," Henry gently helped the shaken man to a chair, before taking a step back to allow the other a moment to breathe; a somewhat noisy wheeze. "Do you think that Mr. Afton's okay, Freddy?" Asked a high-pitched, if not girlish voice; a voice that held a distinct metallic twang._

_"I don't know, Bon-Bon," Another high-pitched voice mused thoughtfully. Only this voice was more masculine in tone, though there was a distinct metallic twang to it. Henry froze, feeling a chill going down his spine as his eyes widened, and seeing the fear rising in Will's eyes, Henry had a feeling that he knew who had spoken and wished to god that he was wrong._

_Pale himself, Henry slowly turned his head back to the stage and his mouth dropped slightly in shock. Somehow, all four animatronics had activated, and were watching the two men with concerned gazes. The brunette felt weak himself as realization was beginning to dawn on him._

_Fredbear, Spring Bonnie and the younger gang had a limited base program. None of them were capable of speech, save for the limited songs and sayings that were already programmed into their systems. It wasn't an easy task of obtaining rights to certain songs, so Will and Henry wrote up little tunes to help out. Although, Will was the one behind the deals of obtaining popular songs like 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' and 'Happy Birthday'; but he was able to get a good deal for them._

_But this..._  
_This was genuine Artificial Intelligence._

_"Oh dear." The ballerina hopped down from the stage, revealing that she was rather tall but nimble on her feet as she all but glided along the floor. Within moments, she was there by William's side, reaching a long, lean arm out to the man; before turning her hand over as she felt his forehead. Surprisingly enough, her hand was pleasantly soft, the warmth almost soothing, really._

_"You don't feel like you have a fever," She mused, her voice a rich, deep tenor; a soothing sound to any distressed soul. "Are you sure that you're alright, Mr. Afton?" Will was a bit taken back by Ballora's action, before seemingly perking up. Did she say what he thought she did? Could Ballora possibly have heat sensors built in?_

_Confused, Will paused as he thought back to his book of designs; trying to recall what he had planned for the future animatronics, well, save for their main objective, that is. Besides being a watchful guardian, Freddy would croon soft tunes to comfort the little ones as well as providing balloon animals. He was also the backup singer for their little band. Bon-Bon was a jokester, but he was also the only one who could keep Freddy calm._

_Foxy was to be an entertainer for the older kids; a juggler and acrobatic. He was also a dancer for the group. Ballora, with her motherly personality, was to encourage kids a healthier way of living; making sure to have the right kind of exercise and to enjoy life to the fullest. She too, was a dancer for the group._

_As for Baby...?_

_Thanks to her fan and built-in dispenser, she was to provide ice cream for the children. She was also the lead singer for their little group. Again, the plans had only been in the earliest of stages, and nowhere near ready for completion. In fact, Will was sure of this, they weren't to be ready for another year or so. There was still a lot that needed to be taken care of, before they could be built..._

_So how...?_

_"How did - ?" Henry trailed off, his eyes wide. The animatronics exchanged looks, and if it was even possible, Henry thought that they were somehow amused. "I know his name?" The ballerina finished smoothly with a slight turn of her pink lips. His knees weak, Henry slowly nodded as he steadied himself on a chair; with her chittering softly._

_"William Jack Afton," The ballerina mused softly. "Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Fredbear's Diner." Will grimaced at hearing his full name. Oh how he_ hated _being named after his bastard of a father. "He's the primary one behind Spring Bonnie," The hand puppet chirped. "While you, Mr. Emily are the voice behind Fredbear," The Freddy look-alike said with a smile._

_Oh hell._

_"Mr. Afton has three children," The Foxy look-alike had a rich, deep voice like silk. "Michael William, Elizabeth Jane and Finn Michael." Will's shoulders tensed, his head lowered, breathing softly as he tried to calm his racing heart. This wasn't possible, how in the realms did they find out about his kids?!_

_That was when Baby finally spoke, her voice was soft and sweet; her words accented by a light British accent. "You, Mr. Henry Emily, have one child," She said softly with a tilt of the head. "A Miss Charlotte 'Charlie' Emily." Henry was looking mighty pale himself, a hand covering his mouth as he felt a bit nauseous by the sudden admissions. These new animatronics knew a bit too much of the duo's personal lives, that it left Henry very, very uneasy._

_Suddenly, without warning, Will let out a soft groan as he seemed to hunch in on himself; his hands flexing in a painful fashion. His nerves twitched, sending sharp pricks throughout his limbs, causing him to grimace in reflex. Unfortunately, for Will, that is, Henry saw this, and sighed; exasperation echoing as he turned an annoyed gaze on the auburn haired male._

_Will at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "Will," Henry raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Will, whose cheeks were dusted with pink. "Did you even bother taking your medicine this morning?" He asked dryly. His cheeks still pinked, Will looked away; scratching his neck in a sheepish manner. "Maybe," Will mumbled, wincing as Henry grunted, shaking his head._

_"Will..." Henry groaned._  
_"...sorry," Will whispered, eyes dimming as he looked down._

_Shaking his head fondly, Henry went over to where Will had dropped their gear. "What am I going to do with you, Will?" Henry snipped, but there was a hint of amusement dancing within his tone as he spoke. Will flushed, feeling a bit sheepish as Henry rummaged through his bag, before pulling out a familiar bottle of pills. Geeze, he was going to be hearing this later._

_As Henry got a glass of cool water and took out the required dose, something came to him. "Will," He said slowly as he helped the younger male to swallow the medicine. "If you didn't build them," Henry frowned deeply as he eyed the animatronics wearily. "Then, who did?"_

_What if...?_

_Oh hell..._

(...)

_A test run._  
_The company had them built for a damn test run._

_In the end, neither Henry nor Will could do much as the company was insistent on the test run. As the doors opened up for the day and families began to pour in, the new animatronics seemed to be a big hit. This was surprising, to say the least. And well, William was suspicious for a reason; he was the main programmer for the animatronics, but the Funtimes were out of his hands._

_Who knew what they had been programmed with?_

_The young girls positively adored Ballora and Baby, admiring the graceful form of Ballora as she danced or jumping with glee whenever Baby would hand out handmade ice cream. A lot of people were impressed with Funtime Foxy, who was performing amazing feats as he jumped and twisted in the air with surprising grace. All the while, the youngest of children squealed as Funtime Freddy would make them little balloon animals._

_However, as the morning slowly gave way to the afternoon, both Henry and Will noticed something rather odd about the two Funtimes. The two were becoming more and more anxious as the hours slowly passed, the agitation was barely noticeable, but it was enough to grab the attention of the two men._

_Freddy's blue eyes would continuously scan the crowd of kids, as if desperately searching for something. Or, as Will straightened in place, feeling uneasy, should that be more along the lines of some_ one _? When he could not find what he was looking for, the light in his eyes would die bit-by-bit. And Foxy, his shoulders were tense and his movements were becoming more frigid, as he too, was becoming agitated by an unknown loss._

_Their movements were eerily similar to one another._

_It wasn't until the first major party of the day; the type where parents could pay for one of the mascots to entertain them, that Will finally worked up the courage to at least approach Funtime Freddy. And since the parents paid for a mascot to entertain their kids, and with the earlier flareup, it was up to Henry to fulfill that role. This was going to be a long, tiring day the men realized._

_Henry hated wearing the Fredbear suit. While the spring suits were a good deal smaller than their animatronic counterparts, the metal pieces were a bit heavy; pressing into the skin with tremendous force. It was a damn miracle that neither of them had ever triggered the spring locks. Well, Henry shouldn't be saying that. The locks hadn't been triggered since the early days. Didn't Will still sport the scar on his left leg?_

_Eh._

_As Henry went to change, Will quietly approached Funtime Freddy, who was finally able to take a break as the kids went back to their parents, all happy and ready to dig into the fresh hot meals that had just been delivered. Seeing their creator approaching, Bon-Bon nudged Freddy who finally looked up, as if tired, before blinking as he looked down in an almost sheepish manner._

_"Hello Mr. Afton," Bon-Bon chirped. Will gave a weak smile and a slight nod, but his gaze was focused on Funtime Freddy, his teal eyes reflecting his concern as his brow furrowed slightly. "Funtime Freddy," Will's voice was surprisingly soft, but there was an odd tone to his words. "...is everything okay?" Freddy felt his servos freeze as he looked up, as if shocked._

_Was he that obvious?!_

_"I-I'm fine," Freddy squeaked, stammering a bit as his eyes darted to the side nervously. "I-I d-don't know what y-you're t-t-talking about." Crossing his arms, Will shot the nervous animatronic a flat look; the sternness in his gaze caused Freddy to sag as Bon-Bon snorted softly. "Told ya he would notice," He mumbled, catching Will's attention almost immediately._

_"It's just..." Freddy sighed, looking down in bitterness. "It feels like there's something missing," He murmured softly, unconsciously placing his hand over what would have been his heart. "I know that Foxy feels the same." Will blinked owlishly, before looking thoughtful as his arms slowly lowered; as he looked the animatronic over carefully, his teal eyes darting to where Foxy was._

_Hm..._  
_...could it be?_

_"Does it feel like an emptiness," Will asked softly, and Freddy turned wide eyes on the man; shocked that he had been able to figure it out so easily. "...right here?" Will pointed to his own heart as Freddy gave a weak nod; amazed that Mr. Afton had figured him out so easily. "How did you know?" Bon-Bon questioned, tilting his head curiously._

_Strangely enough, Mr. Afton's eyes flashed purple, before his teal eyes dimmed. "I know how it feels," Will murmured, a sad smile gracing his lips as kids cheered when Fredbear came into view. His dim eyes seemed to darkened, before he shook off the growing cloud and gave the animatronic a soft, if sad smile. Bon-Bon was thoughtful, before pink eyes seemed to lighten when he saw who was sneaking up on the seemingly oblivious man._

_"Daddy!"_

_Will grunted as he was tackled from behind by an overeager Elizabeth and Finn. The two animatronics were amused when the man's eyes brightened, the teal eyes twinkling as the two kids hugged him tightly; giggling. Chuckling softly, Will knelt down and hugged his two youngest. "Sorry about that dad," Michael sounded a bit sheepish as he hurried up to them; as if embarrassed by his siblings actions._

_"It's alright," Will said softly, a small smile gracing his lips, before realizing something. "Where's - ?" He broke off as Charlie smirked, placing a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Right here, uncle," She chirped with a teasing smile as Michael jumped in place. "These two insisted on seeing you today," Charlie continued, shrugging things off as usual._

_"So, where's dad?" Charlie asked curiously. Will snorted as he stood back up, before gesturing with his head over to where Fredbear was entertaining several party guests. Oh, so that's where her dad was, then something came to her as she looked at Will in confusion. "Why aren't you helping?" She sounded confused. Will blinked, before his cheeks became dusted with red, and he looked away in embarrassment._

_Realization dawned on Michael and he sighed. "You had another flare up," He grumbled sourly, crossing his arms as he gave his father an annoyed look. "...didn't you?" At his father's deepening cheeks, Michael knew that he had hit the nail on the head. "Dad..." He groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. And even Charlie was looking a bit irritated by the admission._

_"We'll get back to work, Mr. Afton." The kids looked up in surprise, having not recognized the mechanical voice and were startled to see a new animatronic by Will's side. He sure looked an awful lot like Freddy, but what was with the creepy hand puppet? When the duo had left, Michael and Charlie looked to Will in concern._

_"New animatronics, dad?" Michael questioned, raising an eyebrow. Will bit his lip, his eyes dimming as if lost in thought. A moment or two later, he sighed, making his decision. "Listen you two," Will knelt down to his youngest, making sure that his expression was strictly neutral. "I have some paperwork that I need to go over for awhile," He looked up to meet Charlie's curious brown eyes._

_"I want you two to listen to Charlie and your brother, alright?" The two nodded, they were curious, but knew better than to disobey their father. Besides, they liked Charlie. "Mike," Michael was surprised to hear his nickname coming from his dad, rare as it was. "Can I speak to you for a bit?" Michael, while confused and a bit concerned, nodded. He followed his dad down the hall and towards the_ Employees Only _were the offices were; finally noticing the other animatronics._

_Wait…_  
_Why build new ones now?_

_"Dad," Michael was nervous as they were finally far away from any mischievous ear. "...is everything okay?" He watched as his dad remained silent, dull eyes flickering nervously. "No," Will finally admitted, his voice heavy. "I don't think it ever was."_

_...okay?_

_Michael felt his stomach begin to churn as his heart pounded. He hadn't quite seen his father like this before, he was more nervous and agitated than he had ever been, even before that frightening night so long ago. "They weren't supposed to be ready for another year or so," Will mumbled, his eyes dimming further before he shook off the darkening thoughts._

_"Mikey," Will said slowly, uneasiness practically coating his words as he spoke. "I_ didn't _build them," He whispered. Michael stilled in place, blue eyes widening. He knew for a fact that his dad was the primary programmer behind the animatronics. However, if his dad didn't have these new animatronics built, then who did and more importantly, who programmed them?!_

_"I need you and Charlie to make sure that neither Finn nor Elizabeth gets near them," Will's eyes flashed a wicked purple, much to Michael's shock. That shouldn't be possible, no one's eyes shouldn't change like that. But, it was gone, just like that._

_"Stay away from them."_  
_"Especially from Baby."_

_...Baby?_

_Michael wondered if his dad meant the animatronic that looked an awful lot like Elizabeth. He fought back a shudder of his own, rubbing his arm. This Baby did look a great deal like Elizabeth, but with hair a deeper shade of red and blue eyes, instead of green. And well, he had seen the fan in the robot's stomach and for some reason, it left him_ very _uneasy._

_However, before he left for the dining area, Michael stopped and looked back to his father. He blinked owlishly, watching as his father's eyes flashed purple again, a pained grimace coming over the man's face as he hurried down the hallway; all the while, his hands were flexing in a painful fashion. Then it came to him, his dad was having another flare up._

What's going on with you, dad?

(...)

**Ymg''re nafl og vulgtmnah ah'legeth'drn.**

_Will was silent as he strode towards his office, eyes narrowing slightly at the soft whisper of an all too familiar voice. A voice that he was truly beginning to hate, as it plagued his waking thoughts as more and more days went on. From the corner of his eye, Will saw the shadows taking shape and he inwardly frowned as what looked like Spring Bonnie, stood there._

_Well, a shadowy version, that is._

**_...what do you want?_ **

_The shadow chuckled, straightening in place as it silently followed him. Will could not risk anyone seeing him like this, they would believe him to be insane. And despite his health and fracturing thoughts, Will loved his family and did_ not _want to risk them for anything._

**Ymg' ahor't l' ah'legeth ya, Willy**

**_...quiet you._ **

**Oh, Willy.**

_Reaching his office, Will grew still as the painful realization came to him. Ever since they were bought out and had the Board of Directors take control, everything around him seemed to be falling apart. His health, which had never been all that good, and the bonds he had with his kids were slowly unraveling. And, he felt tears come to his eyes, his breathing picked up slightly as he swallowed thickly, almost painfully; and even his bond with Henry was slowly breaking apart._

**Haven't ymg' figured h' yog, mg?**

_He winced as a hand clamped down on his shoulder tightly, just as he turned the knob on the door to his office. Just as the door opened, Will grunted as he was shoved through, before his knees gave out and he fell to the floor with a soft groan. Reaching up to his aching temples, there came a sharp prick from his hands, earning a slight wince in return._

_Wondering what was happening, Will's eyes opened, before widening in stunned disbelief. There, piercing the soft flesh of his palms, was a purplish black strand, a strand that was emitting an eerie purple aura. His eyes darted about as he looked himself over, feeling a sharp pain coming from not only his hands, but there was a burning heat building up in his feet and it felt like his entire back was on fire._

**Y' yaor ymg' William!**

_Will gasped as a boiling heat washed over him, hundreds if not thousands of white hot knives ripping into his nerves. His whole body felt like it was on fire, his heart was beating like mad as a piercing whistle echoed in his ears. He could not move, much less breathe, all he could do was feel. Tears began to fall from his eyes as his body was jerked forward, forcibly getting to his feet; feeling a warm liquid slowly trailing down his limbs._

Initiating shutdown . . .

_He could hear the shadow cackling as his limbs were jerked back, much like a puppet. He blinked back the pain, feeling his body beginning to shut down as darkness crept into his vision. "Hen..." He whimpered, feeling a sharp prick at the base of his neck; a heat that was followed by a bone chilling cold that was trickling in. His knees quivered and he felt himself being lowered to the floor._

**Ymg''re mine now~**

(...)

_The second birthday party of the day was just beginning with the arrival of survival guests. The arriving kids were perking up at the sight of Fredbear, but were a bit confused at the sight of the new animatronics. The parents of said kids, however, were a little more weary than their children. These animatronics were clearly more advanced than the original crew, a type of advancement that was a little unsettling._

_One mother, in particular, however, was a bit more observant. Angela Evanson was there for the afternoon with her husband and youngest son, Gabriel, who was attending the birthday party of his best friend; Jeremy Smythe. The young mother brushed a brown strand from her face as gray eyes narrowed slightly, catching sight of 'Fredbear', noting a few things that many would not have noticed._

_Concerned, she tapped her husband's; Daniel Evanson, shoulder. Daniel was a ravenette with icy blue eyes, turned a quizzical gaze on his wife; wondering what it was that had caught her attention. His blue eyes looked over to the new animatronics, before realizing that she was looking over to where Fredbear was._

_What was - ?_  
_Oh._

_Despite the rapidly growing party, and excited kids gathering around him, Fredbear seemed nervous somehow. His green eyes kept going back to the_ Employees Only _lounge, before looking back down to the kids with a somewhat tired smile. Oh, was he worried about his partner, Spring Bonnie?_

_Come to think of it, the man mused thoughtful to himself. Where was Spring Bonnie? You never saw those two far apart from one another. Daniel looked around carefully, and besides the new animatronics, the golden rabbit was nowhere to be seen. That was strange in itself, and as if realizing something, Daniel snapped out of his thoughts as he saw that several children had noticed Fredbear's distress, and were concerned for their favorite animatronic._

_"Mr. Fredbear!" Said animatronic looked down, as if surprised. There, just to his right, was a little boy with bright red hair, rosy red cheeks and big brown eyes, was looking up at him with a wide, mesmerizing gaze. "Is everything okay?" The little boy asked curiously. "You look upset about something," A little girl with curly brown hair and green eyes, piped up._

_Fredbear was a bit taken back, before his green eyes dimmed as he sighed. "I'm sorry kiddos," His voice was soft, if not rich, though tired. "But I need to check on my partner." The kids exchanged looks, realizing that Spring Bonnie wasn't there; and everyone knew that those two were always together! For a moment, there was nothing and Fredbear wondered if the kids would be upset about him leaving._

_Then, the kids smiled._

_"It's okay, Mr. Fredbear," The redhead said with a sweet smile. "You should go and see Mr. Spring Bonnie." A little girl with curly blond hair and big blue eyes, hummed softly as she placed a hand on a little boy with chestnut curls and similar eyes. "I think we can handle things here," She chirped softly, a soft, knowing smile gracing her lips. Though, her smile fell from her lips as she looked towards the_ Employees Only _lounge._

_What was she looking at...?_

(...)

_Charlie looked up from her drink, watching as Michael finally joined them. She frowned slightly, noting the uneasiness in his blue eyes as he sat down across from her. "Hey," Charlie said softly, her eyes gentle. "...is everything okay between you and your dad?" Michael, who was looking down at his hands with a furrow of the brows, and a slight frown, looked up; a bit dazed as he registered her words._

_...oh._

_"I'm not sure," He mumbled, running a hand through his messy brown locks. "Alright," Charlie leaned back in her seat, watching him carefully. "Did he say anything about those new animatronics?" She finally asked. "That's just it!" Michael groaned, placing his head in his hands; a distressed reaction, much like how his father reacted at times. Those two were a lot alike, which was surprising with how they interacted with one another._

_"He may have started the designs, but he didn't build them!"_

_Charlie stilled, before straightening in place. "What?" Her voice was sharp, almost disbelieving really. "Dad mentioned something about working on some new designs," Michael mused before frowning, his eyes dimming. "The way he kept muttering about them," He shuddered. "I don't think that I've seen him like that before." Charlie's brow furrowed, and she was concerned for her uncle. If Michael was disturbed by whatever the man had been muttering about, then perhaps this was something that her own father should know about?_

_Oh, right._

_"He did tell me that we need to keep Finn and Elizabeth away from them," He murmured. "And especially keep Elizabeth away from Baby." Charlie blinked owlishly as she tilted her head curiously. "'Baby'?" She repeated as he snorted softly. "Three guesses as to who Baby is, and the first two don't count!" He whined as she sighed._

_"The one that looks like her," She guessed as he gave a soft whine, placing his head into his hands. Hm, if Michael was right about his dad, then these animatronics shouldn't even be here if they were still in the planning stages. And what was it that Uncle Will had muttered about that disturbed Michael like this? Well, to be honest, it_ was _a bit disturbing to see a tall robotic version of Elizabeth entertaining kids like that._

_"There you are," Breathed a soft, metallic voice._  
_Charlie smiled warmly._

_Michael lifted his head, a faint smile gracing his lips as he gave a slight nod in greeting; Fredbear coming up to their little table. "Hi dad," Charlie greeted with a teasing smile. Fredbear gave a slight nod, but his green eyes were duller than normal and he was looking from Charlie to Michael and back again. "Michael," Fredbear said slowly, his green eyes still darting about the dining room nervously._

_"Have you seen your father lately?"_

_Michael blinked owlishly at that. "He's back in the office," He gestured to where he had come from. "Said something about paperwork," Charlie added and Fredbear seemingly grew still, green eyes widening. As if realizing something, Charlie looked to her father with concern. "Dad...?" She was worried, for you see, that despite the mask, Henry was very nervous._

_"There is no paperwork..."_  
_...what?_

_"Wait here," Fredbear said flatly before heading down towards the office area, thankfully the springlocks held true. On the other hand, Michael suddenly realized that there was something that was very,_ very _wrong about this scene. "Where are Finn and Elizabeth?" He asked slowly, blue eyes scanning the table. Charlie, whose gaze had been locked onto her father's retreating figure, took a moment or two for his words to register._

_Confused, if not concerned, Charlie looked to her left, for that's where Elizabeth had been sitting and was alarmed to find an empty seat. Even worse, was that Finn's seat was also empty; Michael, however, looked very,_ very _nervous when he could not find his siblings. Alarmed by this, Charlie stood up, hands on the table as her eyes darted about; searching the growing crowd with fear._

_Elizabeth was an incredibly curious girl, and was constantly getting into trouble. Finn was just so small, anything could have happened with how distracted they had been, and they wouldn't have even known. Finally, Charlie spotted little Finn over by Pirate's Cove, being watched over by an older child as the white fox told enchanting tales of wonder._

_Then where was -_  
_...oh no!_

_Michael, whose heart was racing, had also stood up; his darkening blue eyes scanning the crowd frantically. His heart stopped in mid-beat as he found her by the one animatronic that his dad all but begged to stay away from. Elizabeth Afton was within reaching distance of the animatronic known as Baby. Oh hell, his dad was going to freaking kill him for this!_

(...)

_Once he bypassed the_ Employees Only _door, Henry carefully removed the Fredbear mask; panting softly, his face glimmering with sweat. He had been wearing the suit for a bit too long, as he was beginning to cook in it. Despite the hours and the fact that there were at least two more parties, Henry was far more worried about Will than he was about working._

_Tiredly, he headed for the locker room; placing the mask down on a table that was by the front door. Henry carefully removed the costume, somehow avoiding the springlocks; but there was something nagging at the back of his thoughts. There was no paperwork, and there hadn't been any for a couple of weeks actually, which left the disturbing question. Why did William lie like that...?_

_After removing the costume and changing back into his light wear, Henry hurried out of the room and down towards the offices. Strangely enough, Will's office was closed and there was not a sound coming from the other side. This couldn’t be good, and Henry went up to the door, feeling his heart pound as he reached out and knocked softly._

_"Will?" He called softly._  
_"Are you in there?"_

_Worried when he heard nothing, Henry pressed his ear to the door, listening carefully. For a terrifying few moments, he heard nothing. But then, the brunette paled as he heard what sounded like pained breathing, with the soft whispers of what sounded like cackling, reached him. Alarmed, Henry tried the knob, only to find that the door was locked tight. "Will!" He yelled, pounding on the door._

_"Will, open up!"_

(...)

**Oh, William.**

_They took form, staring down at the man with a blank look upon their face, eyes bright. Shaking their head, they knelt down and gently lifted William into their arms, easily regaining their bearings. Despite his appearance, William Afton was decidedly thin and far too light, even for their tastes._

**Ahf' Y' ah l' bug llll ah ymg'?**

_They were silent, before a cruel smile graced their lips as their eyes seemed to glow. What better way to further the corruption then to break a supposedly unbroken bond? They cackled softly and gently placed the unconscious man into his chair, his head hung limply as his body was sprawled lifelessly in the chair; blood slowly dripping down his hand, splattering as it met the floor below._

**Enjoy ymg' haiagl, henry~**

(...)

_Oh!_

_Elizabeth could hardly contain her excitement. She and her little brother, Finn, had begged Michael and Charlie if they could go and see their dads; and finally, the two caved in around lunchtime, taking them to the diner for lunch. She was happy to see that Fredbear was active, but she was a bit concerned when she saw that Spring Bonnie was nowhere to be seen._

_When they saw the new animatronics, Finn had of course, shied away; but not Elizabeth. Finn was always so shy and nervous around someone new, but he seemed really uncomfortable with the animatronics. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was outgoing and always brimming with excessive energy. She was eager to see the new animatronics and found herself drawn to the one that looked so much like her._

_Michael had gone on ahead to talk with their dad while Charlie led them over to a table; ordering some drinks for them as they waited for their brother's return. When Charlie had looked away, only for a moment, mind you; but it was long enough for Finn and Elizabeth to leave her sight. She made sure that Finn was alright at Pirate's Cove as the new Foxy regaled kids with tales of the sea; then set her sights on the animatronic that looked so similar to her._

_Circus Baby was surprised, if not a little nervous as a little girl with deep red hair and big green eyes, came up to her. Despite her main programming, her primary objective was the same as the others. Oh, Baby's data banks brought up a name for the girl, Elizabeth Afton; Mr. Afton's daughter. They were right, Baby did look a lot like the young girl._

_Body suddenly locking in place, Baby could only watch and listen as her programming activated; but, unknown to her, the programming was growing corruptive. Elizabeth had on a pretty dark pink, short sleeved skirt and a blue pleated skirt. There was a pink ribbon woven into her red locks, and she was looking up at Baby with wide eyes and a soft smile._

_"I can't believe that daddy made you," Elizabeth breathed, her natural accent thickening her words. "But why didn't he tell us?" She wondered, tilting her head curiously. Alas, Baby could not speak as her programming's objective became corrupted. Suddenly, the fan in Baby's chest hummed softly as it receded and a small robotic arm slid out; holding out a small, vanilla cone to the little girl. Elizabeth's eyes were wide with awe, amazed by what Baby was offering her._

_Green eyes twinkling, Elizabeth reached for the cone..._

(...)

_Finally!_

_After repeatedly pounding on the door, and shaking the knob with such force, the door was loosening enough where it could be moved. Grunting softly as he pressed against the door, Henry took a step back as it slowly slid open on its own. Peering inside, Henry found that the blinds were lowered and currently closed off, and none of the lights appeared to be working._

_What the hell - ?_   
_Why was it freezing in here?!_

_"Will?" Henry called, squinting as he looked around the darkened office nervously. "Will, where are you?" His heart was pounding as a chill went down his spine, and his stomach was churning as nausea burned at his senses. Something wasn’t right here, and Henry was getting a_ very _bad feeling about this._

_Where on earth was Will?_

_Then..._   
_A low moan._

_His ears perking up, Henry realized that the sound was coming from behind Will's desk. It took him a moment or two, after having his eyes adjust to the darkness, Henry found that Will's chair had been turned around, the back of said chair was facing him. Now worried, he walked over and gently turned the chair around; only for his heart to freeze within his chest, rattling painfully._

_There, propped up in the chair and sprawled in a lifeless manner; was William Afton. His head hung limply, damp auburn locks were matted against his face, his breathing coming out in pained, if not choked gasps. Henry knelt down and felt for a pulse, only to pale as his fingers brushed against something wet. Feeling ill himself, Henry lifted his hand, squinting before his brown eyes widened in shock at the sight of a dark substance coating the digits._

_"...Will?"_

(...)

_"Elizabeth!"_

_The moment Michael saw where Elizabeth was, he was on his feet and desperately trying to make his way over to the stage, his heart pounding like mad. Charlie, who had seen Elizabeth by Baby, felt her own heart race as she struggled to follow Michael. Unfortunately, for the two of them, there were far too many people out on the floor; making it harder for them to even reach the stage._

_However, unknown to either of them, Finn had gotten bored with Foxy's stories and had decided to go back to their table. He had seen his brother and Charlie desperately trying to reach the stage; looking terrified by something. Confused, and frightened, Finn, who was closer to the stage, followed the direction of where they had been going; only to see something that would be haunting his dreams for the rest of his life._

_Elizabeth, however, was completely oblivious to the rising danger. She was simply a happy little girl. Elizabeth was pleased as all get out about there being an animatronic who looked so much like her, to being given free ice cream? Who wouldn't be happy with such a treat?_

_Elizabeth was just reaching for the cone, when a sense of great unease washed over her. Shivering, it felt like something ghastly was crawling under her skin, and nausea was churning her stomach. Swallowing thickly, Elizabeth slowly looked up, her green eyes tearing up as she saw something that no child should. The animatronic's eyes had gone completely black, the darkness having completely devoured the optics; sending a frightening chill down her spine._

_Tears silently falling from her eyes, Elizabeth turned to run, only to have cold metal wrapping around her small waist. She looked up, meeting the terrified gazes of her brothers and Charlie; but it was Finn's look that caused her heart to break. Big, fat tears were falling from Finn's blue eyes as the truth dawned there; he knew what was going to happen._

_And so did she._

_"Elizabeth!" Michael screamed._

_The next thing that the unsuspecting trio of onlookers knew, was the robotic arm pulling Elizabeth back; back towards the silent Circus Baby. Poor Elizabeth, she could not escape and there was no time for her to cry, as a loud, sickening crunch echoed in their ears. The only sign of the horrific event was the faint trail of fresh blood, slowly dripping down Baby's stomach._

_No one saw the glowing eyes watching._

_Suddenly, the diner grew silent as the screeching siren of an ambulance could be heard approaching with alarming speed. Concerned, many parents were peering curiously out their windows and were shocked by the sight of an ambulance pulling up to the diner. It was with grim acceptance, when two EMT's hurried out; one carrying an emergency field bag, as they rolled a gurney in._

_One-by-one, the adults watched as a waiter approached the EMT's, speaking quietly. The waiter's eyes were wide before he was pointing towards the_ Employees Only _lounge with great urgency. As fast as they had arrived, the EMT's disappeared down the corridor. A loud murmur went through the diner, as the patrons were confused as to who could be in distress. To the shock of everyone there, the EMT's were soon rolling the gurney out with their patient; Mr. William Afton._

_Mr. Afton was very pale, and growling paler with each passing moment, blood soaked towels being pressed to his chest. A bag valve mask was placed over his nose and mouth, the EMT gently squeezing as they hurried by. Mr. Emily was wringing his hands with worry as he stood by the entryway, watching with darkening eyes as his partner was loaded onto the ambulance, the vehicle driving off with a screech of the tires._

_"Dad!" Charlotte Emily was pushing her way through the stunned crowd, desperate to reach her father. Finally, the man turned a somewhat glassy-eyed stare in her direction; blinking owlishly. "Dad, what is going on here?!" Charlie demanded, somewhat shrilly. She was still in shock from what she had just witnessed, and now seeing a man she saw as family being taken away in an ambulance._

_It was just too much for her._

_It took a few moments of Charlie calling her dad, before the man seemed to snap out of his shocked state. "I-I don't know," He whispered, tears prickling at his eyes. Michael went over to where Finn was, stunned and horrified by the sight of his little sister being taken. Then to have his father being taken away? This was bringing back painful memories, memories that he didn't want to remember._

_Why?_   
_Why did this have to happen?!_

_Were they really cursed...?_

**Isn't fahf mgn'ghftog, willy?**   
**Nilgh'ri's finally nog ehye!**

_The lights suddenly dimmed, and a sense of wrongness suddenly washed over the diner as the patrons all shuddered as one. A chill was settling within the diner and its patrons, a chill that would never truly leave as a soft whisper of a cackle was echoing on the wind._

**C''ll ah ehye forever~**


	10. Broken Bonds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bond no more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be blood, body horror, bullying of a younger child, mild torture of the body and death

**August 26, 1983**

_Nearly a month had passed._

_Finn was sitting in his room, cuddling with his handmade Fredbear doll; curling up on his bed. It had been nearly a month since he witnessed the sudden death of his older sister, Elizabeth, at the hands of a strange animatronic. Within days of Elizabeth's death, his father had those new animatronics locked away for good. Sadly, life for the Afton-Emily household had forever changed._

_Like Uncle Henry, for example. The man had become more withdrawn over time, taking on a more protective stance as he worried himself sick about his daughter; Charlie. Charlie, however, had taken to avoiding being at home; preferring to spend her days with her friends._

_And as for his own family...?_  
_Well..._

CRASH

_Finn flinched, burying his nose in Fredbear's soft fur as the sound of something fragile breaking, came from the kitchen downstairs. His big brother, Mikey, on the other hand, had taken to avoiding the house and their father all together. Maybe Mikey felt guilty about what happened last month? Or maybe, just maybe, he wanted to avoid their father; who seemed to be getting sicker and sicker as the days slowly passed._

_Speaking of Mikey..._

_Finn looked up nervously, his eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Ever since Lizzy died, Mikey's attitude had taken a dangerous turn; preferring to hang around a group of boys. Boys, that Finn knew, their father never approved of. And well, Finn could see where his father was coming from, as Finn wasn't that fond of Mikey's friends. Those three were always picking on him, and Mikey would either stand by and watch it happen, or worse, he would even join in!_

_Biting his lip, Finn's blue eyes dimmed as he looked down at the stuffed animals that laid across his bed. He had been spending more and more time in his bedroom, cuddling with his stuffed animals; dolls that had been cleverly modeled after Freddy and his friends. Although, the Foxy doll had its head ripped off by Mikey in a fit of rage. Since then, he'd been tormenting Finn with a Foxy mask; scaring the poor child half to death whenever he had the chance._

_Finn hated this._

_And this week...?_  
_It was even worse!_

_To this day, Finn could still see the terror in Elizabeth's green eyes as she was pulled back, back into the animatronic that had so cruelly taken her life away. The wails of the siren announcing the departure of his daddy; who had been taken to the hospital. He shivered, clutching at Fredbear tightly as big, fat tears fell from his eyes as his mind fell into shadows. Lately, Finn's dreams had been plagued with terrifying nightmares; nightmares that no child should have to see._

_Nightmarish versions of the characters he loved so dearly._

_Finn thought back to what had happened only days earlier, sniffling softly. His dad had taken him to the diner as there had been no one available to watch him; as both Mikey and Charlie were out and Uncle Henry was too busy with a meeting. He had been terrified by going back, but he had no choice; and Finn wasn't willing to risk his father's wrath._

_Staying in place, Finn had sat at a single table far away from the crowd of kids and their parents. He would just sit there and wait patiently for the chance to go home. Thankfully, the staff was kind and more than willing to look out for him, for the day; always making sure that he was alright. Luckily, the diner served more than just pizza; something that his father had insisted on._

_When lunch had rolled around, a waiter had been kind enough to bring Finn a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and set a glass of fresh milk for him. Finn was hungry, and he gave the waiter a polite smile before digging in; his eyes always watching for trouble. Unfortunately, as it neared closing time, Finn had gotten up and was heading to the bathrooms when he had gotten lost. Somehow, in his trek to the bathroom, he had wounded up in the_ Employees Only _lounge._

_In his haste to find the bathrooms, Finn got a little too close to a room where he could hear his dad. The door was partially opened, and he had taken a peek inside only to pale. His dad was helping a new worker into a Fredbear costume, causing the little one to panic and think back to Elizabeth's death. Strangely enough, his Fredbear doll was by the door; an eerie light to its impossibly dark eyes. In the end, he had gotten home without much trouble, but he was still disturbed by what he had seen that day._

_Then two days ago, he had been left behind at the diner; an accident for sure, but it still happened. Thankfully, that man wasn't there and his home wasn't that far away, so he could easily walk home. It was more like who he ran into, that left him reeling. There had been several kids that he had ran into along the way, one even being one of the mean boys his brother hung out. Each encounter had left him disturbed and worried sick._

_He remembered running into a boy about his age, who had been hanging outside the diner; holding a plush of what looked like Spring Bonnie, but it looked off to Finn. The plush's fur was much darker and were those fangs it was sporting?! Shivering, Finn was hesitant about approaching the other boy, but shook his fear off and hurried on._

_Then he ran into a pretty girl in an orange dress, her hair red as blood. She looked at him with wide green eyes, eyes that were a shade lighter than Elizabeth's; but for some reason, there was a slight cloudy tint to them._ "You better watch out," _She warned him with a giggle._ "I heard that they come to life every night and hide your body if you die." _The girl laughed at his terrified look, twirling in place as she laughed._ "Why are you so worried?" _She asked lightly._

"See you at the party!"

_Shaking, Finn had left her behind and found the boy who was always mean to him. What was his name again - didn't it start with an 'F'? Anyway, the teen was sitting on the ground, laughing for some reason as he ran a hand through his brown locks. Bright blue eyes snapped to attention as Finn approached, and the teen gave a cruel smile._

"Aren't you the kid who's always hiding under a table and crying?" _He mocked as Finn flinched, looking down as if embarrassed. None of these kids could understand what he went through, what their family went through when Elizabeth died._ "No one else is scared, so why are you?" _Finn was silent, gritting his teeth as his fists clenched tightly in anger._

"Stop being such a baby."

_Frowning at that, Finn moved on. After awhile, he came across a girl in a purple shirt and blue jeans. She looked like she was playing with some action figures of the animatronics; best to leave her alone. Even at his young age, Finn knew that you do not mess girls; no matter their age. Finally, he came across a slightly older, heavyset boy who was holding a pink balloon._

_The boy gave a high-pitched giggle when he saw Finn._ "Are you going to the party?" _He asked, his voice a high-pitched boyish tone._ "Everyone's going to be there!" _Then, his dark eyes narrowed slightly as a cruel smile suddenly graced his lips._ "Oh, that's right," _He teased._ "You have to be there as it's your birthday!" _His frown deepening, Finn ran off, but not before noticing his Fredbear doll at the corner of his eye._

_Was he seeing things now?_

_At long last, he had gotten home and just in time to see his favorite tv show; Fredbear and Friends. However, before he could turn the knob on the television, Mikey popped his head out from behind; wearing the Foxy mask. Finn had panicked as he fell back with a frightened cry. And as he fell back, the knob had inadvertently been turned on, the show immediately popping into view._

_And yesterday..._  
_Oh boy._

_Once again, Finn had been taken back to the diner, but this time, it was due to Mikey himself. Finn sniffed, swiping angrily at his eyes as he remembered the bone chilling terror that had grabbed at him. He couldn't believe the nerve of Mikey, locking him in the Spare Parts room like that; then to leave him alone for hours on end. It wasn't until his father had let him out that he saw that it had been nearing closing time._

_Why did Mikey hate him so much...?_

_"...Finn?"_

_Surprised, the little boy looked up, meeting the tired silver eyes of his dad; William Afton. His dad wasn't looking too good himself right now. He was paler than ever, and somehow, his clothes looked bigger on him. That was something that Finn had noticed and was worried about. Ever since Elizabeth's death, his dad had been putting more and more hours into work; and unfortunately, this led to a decline in his own health._

_"Finn," Will sat down on his son's bed, silver eyes scanning him carefully. "What is it, buddy?" He asked gently, placing a gentle hand on Finn’s right shoulder. Finn looked down at his dolls, and despite Mikey's attitude, he didn't want to get his brother in trouble. "Does it have anything to do with your brother?"_

_...h-how did he know?_

_Sighing, William's eyes dimmed considerably. To be honest, he was worried about Michael himself. Mikey used to be such a good brother, perhaps a little temperamental; but he was a teenager now, and teenagers were known for being quite rebellious. Will just didn't understand where he went wrong, as Michael's anger didn't feel right to him. No one shouldn't harbor that kind of anger, much less someone of Michael's age._

**Ymg' ahor't mgah ahf''s inevitable, willy~**

_William groaned as his head gave a sudden and painful throb, earning a wince in return as he reached a shaky hand to rub at his now aching temples. "Daddy?" Finn whispered, looking up as he heard the man groan; the pain flashing across his face as Finn felt tears trickling down his face. "I'll talk with Mikey later, alright?" Will said tiredly, but with a slight smile as Finn sniffed, holding his Fredbear doll tightly._

_"Hey," Will's voice was soft as he gently cupped his son's chin. "Dry those eyes, okay?" Finn blinked and for a moment, he thought he saw a purple ring around his dad's eyes. But that image was soon gone, and the little boy was left wondering if he had been imagining things. "Don't forget that it's your birthday today." Finn giggled when his dad poked his ribs gently, earning a sweet smile from the giggling boy._

_"Everything will be fine," William whispered as he gently took his youngest son into his arms. "I promise," His soft voice was somewhat muffled, his heart pounding as Finn hugged him back. Gods, Will hoped that he was right. But still, something was nagging at his thoughts; something dark. As if this had all happened before, and would keep happening._

Two hours . . .

(...)

_"Happy birthday, Finn!"_

_Finn smiled softly, his cheeks a dusted with a soft pink as he was surrounded by the few that he could truly call friends. His dad had dropped him off a couple of hours ago, letting him know that if there was any trouble; then Finn was to get him immediately. Just for today, the diner's original mascots; Fredbear and Spring Bonnie, had been brought out to entertain the guest, crooning a soft melody._

_A variety of pizza was being served to the guests, as quite a few had voiced their opinions on toppings. Finn was happy to see that the cake, the one that was brought out, was fudge with milk chocolate frosting; his favorite! Surprisingly enough, the waiter who had delivered the cake, said that it was his father, who had baked it. Though, Finn wasn't all that surprised. What the patrons were unaware of, was that Mr. Afton was a capable cook; most of the diner's recipes came from him, after all._

_The hours ticked by slowly, and Finn found himself relaxing for once, feeling content for the first time since Elizabeth's death. Nothing terrible could happen today, and perhaps, things were finally looking up for them? He was about to go back to the table when he was abruptly surrounded by his brother and those boys; each wearing a mask of the Fazbear gang._

_Uh-oh..._

_Knees quivering, Finn felt his heart race as he looked nervously from one masked boy to another. The one wearing the Freddy mask was wearing a sleeveless green shirt and dark jean shorts, and the one with the Bonnie mask was wearing a red tee-shirt and green shorts. Then, the boy wearing the Chica mask was a tad pudgy but with tanner skin and wore a sleeveless blue shirt and brown shorts._

_Wait a minute -_  
_Why did the masks have a glow to the eyes?!_

_Was he dreaming?_

_"Your brother's kind of a baby," The one with the Bonnie mask mused, as he tilted his head to the side. "Isn't he?" Michael snorted softly, as he glared down at his little brother. And, although no one could see past the mask, Michael's rage was clear; for the mask's eyes seemed to glow brighter. Then, it was at that precise moment that a wicked idea came to him; an idea that would haunt Michael for the rest of his life._

_"Why don't we help him get a closer look?" Michael suggested with a soft cackle, his mask hiding his gleeful smile. "He'll love it!" Finn snapped to attention as the tears fell freely from his eyes. He couldn't believe what had just come from Mikey's mouth. His brother...he truly hated him so?_

_"No, please!" Finn begged, backing up; but wounded up hitting the legs of the boy with the Chica mask. Unfortunately, for Finn, that is, Michael had long since closed his heart to his brother; all he saw was something that needed removal. "Come on," Michael said with a sneer as he reached down for the now terrified little boy. "Let's give this little man a lift," Michael's hand grasped at Finn's right wrist with near bruising force._

_"He wants to get up close and personal!"_

_Finn burst into noisy tears as Michael and the other boys lifted him up and over their heads as they started to drag him towards the stage. "No, please!" Finn cried as he tried to break free. "I don't want to go!" Several kids, who had been enjoying their meals with their families, all looked up when they heard Finn's cries and were shocked into silence by the sight of a group of older boys dragging a clearly terrified little boy towards the stage._

_And so did someone else._

**Yar's almost yogor**

(...) 

**_I'm getting too old for this._ **  
**...Y' wouldn't ai cahf...**

_Will groaned softly as he lowered the pen, rubbing at his aching wrist. The paperwork seemed to be breeding these days; file after file, paper after paper that needed signing, it was a never ending nightmare. Life for both his family and the diner hadn't been easy since Elizabeth's death, and to think, it had only been a month! And yet, it seemed like a lifetime ago..._

_The Funtimes, Circus Baby and Ballora had only been active for a day, but that was too long for his tastes. Even now, Will couldn't figure out_ how _the company learned about them and this whole ‘test run’ thing reeked of something else. What Henry was unaware of, was that William could barely remember that day; just an overwhelming sense of fear and pain..._

_Sighing, he looked over his messy desk, before seeing the picture that was there. It was the last photo that had been taken of their family, of when things were good. His silver eyes dimmed as he gently ran a finger over Elizabeth's smiling face, though he couldn't look away from the sight of an amused Henry looking on the little family with tenderness, Charlie laughing at something unseen._

_Why...?_

_Grimacing as a familiar sharp ache shot through his hand, William lowered the picture as he gently rubbed his left wrist. Suddenly, there came a frantic knocking, which snapped him from his darkening thoughts. He was a bit surprised by this, but was relieved for the distraction. Weary, William slowly got to his feet and went up to the door; answering it._

_To Will's concern, he found a young Scott Dennison standing there, looking highly agitated by something. Scott was an older teenager who did odds and ends for the diner; sometimes waiting on guests, cleaning up in the kitchen or even answering some of the incoming calls. He was a sweet kid, helpful when he was able; a rare treat to see in teenagers these days._

_However, the redhead was very pale as his blue eyes kept darting back to the dining area to Will, and back again. Almost immediately, a chill went down his spine, and Will's heart began to race as the horror of the potential possibilities struck. "M-Mr. Dennison?" Scott winced, rubbing at his arm as he looked down nervously._

_"You need to come back immediately!"_

**_...not again..._ **

(...)

_"You heard the little man!" Michael mocked. "He wants to get even closer!" Finn was terrified as he thrashed in their hands, desperate to escape. But alas, all four boys were far too strong, much stronger than Finn, whose strength was rapidly failing him. They were just a breath away from the stage, where Fredbear and Spring Bonnie stood; Fredbear crooning softly as Spring Bonnie strummed his guitar._

_The sweet melodies, while comforting to some, would bring nightmares for others as Finn cried and screamed. "Hey, I think the little man said that he wanted to give Fredbear a big kiss," Michael sneered, glaring up with a fierce scowl. Everything would be fine if this brat didn't exist. Only, there was something off about the animatronic, whose jaw was moving slowly; almost jerking in place as the melody came from them. "On three..." Michael began, his voice while seemingly light, was practically dripping with barely restrained rage._

_"One...two..."_

_Finn was carefully lifted up by the boys and had his head forcibly stuffed into the animatronic’s still opened jaw. The four were snickering, completely unaware of the danger that was about to unfold. The only thing that the boys could see, was a great prank and for a certain trio into getting the kid to toughen up. How on earth was Michael able to withstand such a useless brother?_

_"FINN!"_

_Michael flinched violently, hastily lifting his mask as his dad let out a heartbreaking scream. At the same time, Fredbear's jaw came slamming down, straight onto Finn's little head. Finn jerked once, bright red blood splashing as a loud, sickening crunch erupted; causing an ominous silence to fall upon the diner. And one-by-one, everyone who was there, slowly turned to look towards the stage; horrified by the sight._

_Finn hung limply in Fredbear's mouth, blood dripping down the animatronic's mouth; forever staining the once warm golden fur. Mr. Afton was pushing through the crowd as he hurried up onto the stage; his expression decidedly blank. Once he was up on stage, William pressed a hidden button that was just underneath Fredbear's jaws._

_Immediately, the animatronic released its hold, and Finn fell back into his father's arms. His face was dangerously pale, the entire right side having been crushed by the powerful machine; his remaining eye staring blankly as blood continued to flow. It dripped onto the stage, spreading like snakes, as it dripped onto the floor, forming a shallow pool of dark blood._

_"Finn," William pleaded as his silver eyes welled up with unshed tears, cradling his little boy; rocking the lifeless body. "Finn, baby, please wake up for daddy," He whispered. Michael was white as a sheet, his little brother's blood splashed across his face as he stared numbly at the scene. The other boys were pale, slowly lifting their masks as they gaped at the sight. Sure, Finn Afton was a baby and a coward, but no...not one of them wanted to hurt the little boy._

_"Please...please wake up..." Will moaned, tears beginning to fall as his body shook. From the crowd, the parents felt the tears coming to their eyes as Mr. Afton broke down, an anguish cry escaping. Trembling, his head ached something fierce, William slowly lifted his head to meet the horrified blue eyes of his now only son; left eye slowly turning an eerie shade of purple._

_"Michael..." William whispered._  
_"What have you done...?"_

**Ehyee mgyogor**

.-.-.-.

_Hard to believe it._  
_But it's been over a year..._

_Last summer had been a great tragedy as the Afton family had been forever shattered. The Afton's youngest son and only daughter had been brutally killed, at the hands of animatronics that the town once loved. The diner had taken a heavy blow to its reputation and standing amongst the town, but it wasn’t shut down. Instead, Fredbear and Spring Bonnie had been retired indefinitely, allowing Freddy and his friends to take the stage permanently._

_But that wasn't all._

_A new animatronic had been in the works, designed by Henry Emily himself and was brought out and released around the beginnings of this past June. A type of marionette doll that he affectionately named_ The Puppet _. However, unlike Freddy and his friends, who were adorable; the Puppet was a bit on the creepy side, something that many could agree on._

_The Puppet was one of the tallest animatronics that the diner had ever produced, but with a decidedly skinny frame; its body an inky black. Its limbs were long and lean, with three-fingered hands and no feet; but white stripes around its forearms and from the knee on down. Its face was more along the lines of a white mask with rosy red cheeks, blue lines that ran from its eyes to its gaping mouth and ruby red lips. The only other thing left to it, was a trio of simple white buttons on its slightly plump chest._

_Not long after its debut, Henry confided in William on why he had it built. He had been concerned about all of the trouble that the diner had found itself in, as well as worried about the recent disappearances. Cassidy Williams wasn't the first, and she sure as hell wasn't going to be the last. The Puppet was there primarily for security; to look after the children._

_And it seemed to be working._  
_For now, anyway._

_However, with the diner slowly pulling itself out, Henry noted how much Will's health had deteriorated. As William grew paler and thinner, he would have bouts of severe mania; spending endless days in the workshop, working tirelessly on a new set of animatronics as demanded by the Board. It was something about how the times were changing, and that the diner could use a new look. Thankfully, it would be a couple of years, at least, until these new ones would be ready._

_Besides the bouts of mania and depression, William's headaches returned with a vengeance. There were good days and bad days. The good days were where the headaches would be a minor ache; an easily ignored factor. Though, on the bad days, the headaches would surge into mind numbing migraines that would leave him paralyzed for hours on end. What was frightening, was not the debilitating migraines, but the fact that William was losing his sense of time._

_Yes, you heard right._  
_His memory was beginning to fail him._

_Sometimes when a migraine would strike him down, William would try to sleep it off in his room, and normally, this would work. But there were days where it would have no effect. He would fall asleep on a cot in the workshop, but he would wake up in some rather odd places; such as the woods by the lake. Those days were some of his worst, to say the least._

_Today, though..._  
_Today would be the ultimate betrayal._

_A betrayal of blood._

.-.-.-.  
**October 4, 1984**

_Dammit all to hell._

_Recently turned fifteen, Charlotte 'Charlie' Emily was frowning deeply as she stood outside the diner; shivering as a gentle rainfall was taking place. Well, after witnessing the tragic death of Elizabeth Afton the previous year, Charlie wanted nothing to do with the old diner; even with the addition of the Puppet. Seriously, what was her dad thinking, when he built that thing?_

_There was just too much pain connected to this old place._

_However, Charlie was, if anything, a loyal friend and she hated the idea of breaking a promise. She had promised her best friend, Sierra Jordan, that she would be at the party for her little sister; Susie. Unfortunately, Charlie had no knowledge of the party's location. If she had known beforehand that Susie had picked Fredbear's Diner, Charlie would have hightailed it to the next town!_

_As to why she was outside..._  
_Well, it was kind of a funny story, really._

_Charlie had been sitting with Sierra; one of the more popular girls in her grade, with sunkissed blond curls and soft gray eyes, when the brunette had the sudden urge to use the restroom. It wasn't until she was coming back, that trouble came in the form of three familiar looking teenage boys; the same boys that Michael had been hanging out with, this time without those silly masks._

_Frank Evanson._

_Frank was the one who favored Freddy the most. Over the course of the past year, he had gotten taller and filled out more, becoming more broad shouldered. His hair was a lighter shade of brown now and his stormy blue-gray eyes were hard. He had a younger brother himself, Gabriel, who was friends with the younger brother of a friend of his._

_Benjamin Smythe._

_Ben was the one who liked Bonnie the best. He had gotten a little taller, but was still an inch shorter than Frank. His impossibly dark hair had lightened over the course of the year, and now sported a single deep blue streak. His eyes, which bore a cruel glint, however, were a lighter shade of green over his younger brother, Jeremy._

_And finally, Felix Anderson._

_Felix was the one who favored Chica, despite the fact that said mascot was female. Over the past year, Felix had buckled down and worked on getting healthy; as back then, he had been a bit on the pudgy side. So, he was taller now and much more slim; gaining some muscle as he had joined the school track team. His once dark hair had been dyed a warm golden blond, but his blue eyes were icy and cold._

_Not good._  
_For Charlie, anyway._

_Before Charlie could get around them, Ben and Felix surrounded her, preventing her from moving._ "What the hell do you three want?" _She snapped at them. The trio exchanged looks, as if silently discussing something with one another, before nodding in agreement. To her eternal confusion, as well as weariness, it was Frank who reached out and grabbed her right wrist with surprising force, causing her to wince in return._

 _Then, without warning, Frank proceeded to drag her over and was heading straight for the front door. Outside, the dreary weather which had been building up throughout the morning, was finally releasing itself in the form of a gentle rainfall._ "What are you doing?" _Charlie demanded, now nervous as Frank kept dragging her to the door._

 _Ben and Felix were keeping an eye on the crowd, as if to make sure that no one was watching them._ "Just following orders," _Frank said quietly. His voice flat._ "Think of this as a warning," _He muttered, there was a slight cloudy tint of his eyes, something that she was barely able to catch sight. It was as if Frank was reciting from a script._

_Wait a minute..._  
_Was this an attempt to get at her dad or uncle?!_

_Charlie wasn't sure just who was on the Board of Directors, all she knew was that group left her dad uneasy and uncle very,_ very _nervous. And yet, she had the strangest feeling that these three had a connection to the mysterious Board. While lost in her darkening thoughts, Charlie had failed to notice that they had reached the front door. It wasn't until she felt the cold rain hitting her, that she snapped out of her wandering._

 _Just like that, Frank Evanson tossed her out of the warm diner and out into the cold. She grunted as she landed somewhat awkwardly, her knees meeting the unforgiving ground outside. The cold rain was quickly seeping into her jeans, chilling her to the bone._ "You should have stayed away," _Frank's empty tone was alarming, even more so when the door slammed shut._

_A soft click swiftly followed._

_So, here she was._  
_Outside in the freezing rain._

_"...Charlie?"_

_Charlie felt a sense of relief, when she heard the soft voice of William Afton. "Uncle Will!" She breathed, turning around to see the man, but grew concerned when she got a real good look at him. Uncle Will was very,_ very _pale with dark bags under his dull, mis-matched eyes; one an unnatural shade of purple and the other a solid silver. His purple turtleneck even looked a bit big on him, hanging loosely from his much thinner frame. Wasn't he eating enough anymore? Why on earth wasn’t her dad looking after the poor guy?_

_"What are you doing out here?" William asked curiously, tilting his head as he adjusted the umbrella. He had been annoyed to see that it was going to be raining for the afternoon, he was thankful for the umbrella that was left in the hallway closet; having taken it with him as he left for a shift. Eyes narrowing as they zeroed in on her still exposed wrists, Will frowned at what he saw._

_Charlie's right wrist was badly bruised and a bit swollen from where she had landed, a visible handprint already forming. Although, her left wrist sported a thin green band; ah, one of the features that the Puppet had was to keep track of certain children, depending on whatever colored band that they wore._

_Soft, dark laughter whispered in his thoughts..._

**Oh, Willy~**

_Charlie was alarmed when the man let out a pained moan, clutching at his head as he fell to his knees. It felt like a storm was brewing in his head, the temples aching fiercely as his nerves became alit with a shocking heat; as if there was boiling lava flowing through his veins. "Uncle Will?!"_

_The brunette was soon by his side, placing a gentle hand on one shoulder, wincing as she could feel the heat coming off of him in waves. His body was twitching, muscles spasming in such a way that it was definitely painful. Though he couldn't talk, someone else did so for him._

_"I believe that I can answer that, young lady."_  
_...eh?_

_Still keeping a hand on his shoulder, as if to reassure him, Charlie lifted her head and met the cold, bright yellow eyes of a man that she had never seen before. The man was of average height, but there was some definite muscle tone to him, indicating that he was stronger than he looked. His wavy chestnut locks had a soft shine, naturally fair skin and almonds shaped, bright yellow eyes; eyes that were a shade unlike mortals. And his dark blue suit spoke of incredible wealth._

_"Allow me to introduce myself," He spoke with a soft tone, a strange accent coating his words. "My name is Rache Lehmann." His smile was like that of a shark, cold and there was a shadow lingering in his eyes. "You're a smart girl," He mused with a smile, shaking a finger at her. "I'll give you credit for that."_

_"What do you want?" Charlie asked, well, more like demanded as her voice turned sharp with anger. She could tell that Will was getting worse and she was desperate to get him back inside and get a hold of her dad. Surely, her dad would know what to do in a situation like this...right? If it was even possible, the skies grew darker and somehow, the rain seemed to grow heavier._

_"It's rather simple, my dear," Mr. Lehmann's voice was soft, his hands calmly tucked into his pockets as he spoke. "We, that is, my colleagues and I," He looked up at the darkened skies with a thoughtful look. "Well, let's just say that we've been looking for someone who could help us achieve our goals." Lehmann sideglanced her way, his eyes glittering like gems. "Then, we've met your father and Mr. Afton," He mused as his smile became twisted; the barest of teeth showing._

_"At first," He said quietly. "We were hoping that your father would be the one." Mr. Lehmann shook his head as if disgusted by something. "But no," Lehmann glared her down, his yellow eyes flashing, and for a moment, the pupils were reptilian in appearance. "He just had to have those foolish morals of his." Charlie's hand stilled in place, as her brown eyes narrowed slightly, a frown gracing her lips as she met his gaze with a dark one of her own._

_Foolish morals?_  
_Her father was a good man!_

_"But Mr. Afton," Lehmann's eyes seemed to glow as he gave her a toothy grin. "Oh, he was definitely the one that we've been looking for." He tilted his head, watching the distressed man with impish glee. "What are you talking about?" Charlie asked slowly. "Uncle Will is a good man." Lehmann stared blankly at her for a moment, before doing something rather unexpected._

_He laughed._

_"You have no idea what lies in his past," Lehmann mocked, wiping the tears from his eyes as he cackled. "William Afton is far from good, my dear." William whimpered, instinctively cringing as he shied away; still shaking his head. "All that pain and hatred," Lehmann cooed as he calmly strode forward. "That darkness," There was a strange gleam to his eyes now; a look of hunger. "Made him the perfect little pet."_

_...pet?_

_Charlie had stumbled back, falling flat on her rear as Mr. Lehmann was a little too close for comfort. "He was defiant though," Lehmann said calmly, one hand still in his pocket. "But he soon saw the error of his ways." Charlie turned white as she looked from William to Lehmann and back again, before the horror of his ominous words dawned on her; and at the same time, William's spasms turned violent, a faint trickle of blood beginning to drip from his lips as his body bucked from the sudden pain._

_"You killed Elizabeth..." She shakily spoke._  
_"...and Finn..."_

_Lehmann came to a halt, his yellow eyes hard as he looked down at her with an impassive gaze. Strangely enough, Will's spasms suddenly ceased and the man collapsed with a pained groan. "I'm afraid, however," Lehmann announced softly, his words hollow. "That you know far too much." His gaze then turned to William, who was shakily getting to his feet, albeit swaying as he did so._

_"W-what did y-you do...?" Charlie squeaked._

_This wasn't right, this much she knew. Uncle Will had always been good to her father and vice versa, as she had noted over the years that only her father could get a true smile and laugh from the other male. Heck, it was easy to see that William Afton was a gentle and kind man, but when Elizabeth and Finn died, that kindness was slowly changing as anger seemed to take control._

_"The F-K 1000," Lehmann said calmly as he walked up to the silent man, whose head was lowered as he breathed softly. He gently took William's left hand into his; before pressing something into his palm. "A rather unique invention," He continued lightly. "And as you can see, Miss Emily," Lehmann gave her a pleasant smile, his eyes devoid of light. "Works rather nicely on the defiant."_

_"...don't you think?"_

_With that having been said, Charlie's gaze was drawn to the object that Lehmann had given the man, brown eyes widening in fear. There, gleaming in his hand, was a rather large knife. "Now, Mr. Afton," Lehmann said with a mischievous smile as he pat the man on the shoulder, who simply stood there; as if nothing more than a puppet himself._

_"Kill her."_

_Wait -_  
_...what?!_

_Charlie turned wide, terrified eyes to William; tears prickling there as William shook and trembled. He was muttering softly, the words a barely coherent mumble as he kept shaking his head; as if to clear away a fog of some kind. Despite the amount of pain that he was in, William was unable to move. He never wanted to hurt Henry, the man had been far too good for him, and this, whatever it was, would break the man for good._

_"Are you disobeying me, pet?" Lehmann's voice was cold as ice._

_...pet?_  
_How degrading._

_Suddenly, Lehmann's hand lashed out and he grabbed William by the back of his graying hair; snapping the man backwards. Will let out a pained gasp as his head was forcibly bent back; sending an even sharper pain coursing through his neck. "This would have been so much easier if you had just listened," Lehmann hissed, before swiftly withdrawing something from his pocket and jamming it straight into William's exposed throat._

_Charlie could only look on in utter horror, tears streaming from her eyes. Above them, the skies continued to darken with ominous clouds as thunder rumbled in the distance. The rainfall, which had been manageable, was becoming heavier and heavier as the wind was slowly picking up._

_William gasped, choking a bit as he felt the sharp prick of a needle piercing tender flesh; its contents quickly being pumped into his blood. It spread like ice, flooding his limbs; his very nerves felt like it was on fire. Lehmann then released him, causing the man to fall to his knees; palms scraping along the harsh pavement. "Wh-what did...you do...?" Will demanded, a bit shaken as his words were practically choked from him._

_"A punishment," Lehmann said simply._  
_"This is what happens to those who disobey us."_

_With that having been said, Rache Lehmann calmly stepped back; waiting for the real show to begin. William Afton may have been unaware of what laid within his own blood, but they were not. His fellow members were becoming rather interested in the man, and could not wait to see the aftereffects._

CRACK

_Charlie's head snapped up, her heart racing as she frantically looked William over; her brown eyes wide and tear. That sound, it had been an all too familiar one; a sound that brought back early memories of her childhood. It had been the sickening sound of bones breaking with tremendous force._

_What was to happen to her uncle...?_

_William groaned softly, his stomach lurching as nausea churned his senses. His arms instinctively wrapped around his torso, quivering as his body shook from the raging inferno that now burned within his soul. His whole system felt like it was on fire; a sharp tingling sensation flooding his limbs. Now, William had felt various bouts of pain over his long life, but this - never like this._

_To be honest, Will felt a faint trickle of fear creeping through his hazy thoughts, as it felt like there was something within him that had been locked away. However, thanks to the foolishness of the Board, this side, whatever it was, was slowly coming out. The tingling switched to a whole new level, going from a sharp sting to an agonizing heat of being struck by lightning._

_Free to hunt..._  
_...to_ **kill** _..._

_Without warning, the heat surged through him, sinking into his spinal cord. William's eyes snapped open, the pupils no more than thin, reptilian slits, his right eye now turning the same shade of purple as the other. The light within his eyes was rapidly fading, leaving behind dull orbs. His stomach lurched again, but this time, he could taste a disgustingly warm fluid rising as he coughed heavily; a strangulated wet gurgle as he choked, wheezing noisily._

_Charlie felt nauseous herself, seeing the fresh dark blood dripping from William’s mouth. Was she imagining things now, or were his teeth actually growing before her very eyes? A strange, black fluid was beginning to ooze from his eyes, mingling with the blood as there came another loud snap, earning a cringe as she wished that this was a dream, but it was a nightmarish reality._

_William could feel the sudden ache in his canines, and to his fear, he could feel them lengthening; becoming needle sharp. The same terrible ache that had flooded his mouth only moments before, was now making its way to his hands. He whimpered, feeling the thick fluid dripping from his eyes, mixing in with the blood that was still spilling from his lips. Through his hazy vision, William saw that his nails were darkening slightly, the tips lengthening as they began to curl._

_Wait a minute - clawed nails...?_  
_Oh hell._

**_Please...make it stop..._ **

_The pain was becoming worse, worse than he had ever felt. Hell, not even the pain that he received from his father’s 'gifts' or the betrayal of blood, ever hurt like this. He just wanted this to end._

**Hello William.**

_He winced and was startled when everything seemed to fade into darkness. Will could no longer see nor hear Charlie, and Lehmann's presence seemingly vanished. He jerked back when he felt a pair of warm arms suddenly wrap around him as he was brought into a gentle hug, the owner nuzzling him gently. The pain, he couldn’t feel it anymore._

**H' doesn't mgep l' ah like fahf.**  
**_...it doesn't...?_ **

**Y' ahor h' uaaah nilgh'ri mglagln bug**

_William blinked owlishly, breathing softly and was pleasantly surprised by a gentle scent of fresh crisp apples and sweet rain. He found himself beginning to relax, though the strange substance was still oozing from his eyes, and he could feel something trickling down from his mouth._

**Iiahe long Iiahe ymg' h' gotha**  
**_...I'm s-s-sorry..._**

(...)

_Charlie, who was still sprawled out, her elbows scraping against the unforgiving pavement; felt her heart sink with dread. Uncle Will had fallen to his knees, his palms on the ground as if to steady himself; an ominous mixture of black ooze and fresh blood continued to drip from his nose, mouth and eyes, as he breathed softly. Somehow, someway, she knew what had happened and was positively terrified._

_Uncle Will..._  
_...he...he lost..._

_"Uncle Will..." She whispered as the man slowly got to his feet once more, this time, he was far more steady as he stood. He stood there, head lowered as bangs shadowed his eyes. The knife that had been carelessly dropped, was abruptly picked back up and handed over to William. William, who spun the knife with ease as he gripped the knife tightly._

_"Uncle Will..." Charlie tried again, swallowing thickly as the man's head jerked in her direction. "...please wake up!" She pleaded, slowly scooting back as he started to walk over in her direction. "He can't hear you, dearie," Lehmann scolded, calling over his shoulder as he turned away. This would be over soon enough, and Lehmann could get back to work._

_Unknown to anyone, there was a bit of disturbance coming from within. The box, where the Puppet was kept, was beginning to rumble as if someone was pounding on a lid; as if desperate to escape. However, there were several smaller, but heavy, presents sitting on top. It took a bit, but finally, the Puppet had broken through, looking around wearily with bright green eyes._

_Charlie watched as William knelt down by her side, the knife gleaming in one hand. And when she met his gaze, she reeled back in shock at the sight of glassy purple orbs staring back. There was an eerie shadow to his dull eyes, the black substance that was still oozing, gave him a rather creepy vibe. It hurt, seeing those empty eyes and she knew that William was no longer there._

_But something else was._

_"Uncle Will," Charlie breathed, tears streaming from her eyes as he silently raised the knife. "Know that no matter what happens," She swallowed thickly as her heart began to slow down; understanding her terrible fate was upon her. "Know that I forgive you," Charlie gave a weak smile and reached out to him._

**_"...you shouldn't..."_ **

_Charlie closed her eyes, unable to witness what would happen. The last thing she ever felt was the cold metal being dragged across her throat, sending a searing heat across her flesh and the warm blood steadily flowing from the now opened wound. She could hear the soft call of Lehmann and the sounds of someone standing up. Charlie wanted her dad more than ever as she slipped into blissful darkness._

_And knew no more..._

**Ymg''re finally mine, willy~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My oh my, aren't I a stinker?


End file.
